Jean Moreau de Séchelles
Encyclopedia
Jean Moreau de Séchelles (10 May 1690 – 31 December 1761) was a French official and politician.
Made a maître des requêtes
13 October 1719, he was the intendant
of Hainaut
in Valenciennes
from 1727 to 1743. He was the intendant of Lille
from 1743 to 1754 while simultaneously the intendant of Flanders
from May 1745 until 18 October 1748 during its French occupation.
He was named the controller-general of finances
, replacing Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville 20 July 1754. He served this function until 24 April 1756. He pursued a daring economic policy, bordering liberalism
, while trying to straighten out the royal finances. Having the king's confidence as the minister of state
in 1755, he was consulted about the reversal of alliances from Prussia
to Austria
. A victim of a stroke
in March 1756, his son-in-law François Marie Peyrenc de Moras
was designated by Louis XV to replace him.
He was made an honorary member of the French Academy of Sciences
14 July 1755, its vice-president in 1756, and its president in 1757.
In 1710, he bought the land of Cuvilly
in Oise
, which had belonged to the lords of Séchelles. There he constructed a modern château in place of the feudal castle. He was consequently called "Moreau de Séchelles."
The Seychelles
islands, ceded to the French East India Company
in 1756, were named in his honor.
His daughter Marie Hélène Moreau de Séchelles (1715-1798) married René Hérault
, the lieutenant general of police of Paris. From this marriage came Jean-Baptiste Martin Hérault de Séchelles, childhood friend of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville and father of the politician Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles
.
Made a maître des requêtes
Maître des requêtes
Masters of Requests are high-level judicial officers of administrative law in France and other European countries that have existed in one form or another since the Middle Ages.-Old Regime France:...
13 October 1719, he was the intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
of Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
in Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
from 1727 to 1743. He was the intendant of Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
from 1743 to 1754 while simultaneously the intendant of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
from May 1745 until 18 October 1748 during its French occupation.
He was named the controller-general of finances
Controller-General of Finances
The Controller-General of Finances was the name of the minister in charge of finances in France from 1661 to 1791. The position replaced the former position of Superintendent of Finances , which was abolished with the downfall of Nicolas Fouquet.- History :The term "contrôleur général" in...
, replacing Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville 20 July 1754. He served this function until 24 April 1756. He pursued a daring economic policy, bordering liberalism
Economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
, while trying to straighten out the royal finances. Having the king's confidence as the minister of state
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
in 1755, he was consulted about the reversal of alliances from Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
to Austria
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
. A victim of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in March 1756, his son-in-law François Marie Peyrenc de Moras
François Marie Peyrenc de Moras
François Marie Peyrenc de Moras was a senior French politician.In a family from the Cévennes, he was the son of Abraham Peyrenc de Moras , son of barber enriched in the system of Law, who built the Hotel Biron rue de Varenne in Paris and his wife, Anne-Marie-Josephe de Farges . He married...
was designated by Louis XV to replace him.
He was made an honorary member of the French Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
14 July 1755, its vice-president in 1756, and its president in 1757.
In 1710, he bought the land of Cuvilly
Cuvilly
Cuvilly is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise....
in Oise
Oise
Oise is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise.-History:Oise is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, which had belonged to the lords of Séchelles. There he constructed a modern château in place of the feudal castle. He was consequently called "Moreau de Séchelles."
The Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
islands, ceded to the French East India Company
French East India Company
The French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
in 1756, were named in his honor.
His daughter Marie Hélène Moreau de Séchelles (1715-1798) married René Hérault
René Hérault
René Hérault, Seigneur de Fontaine-l'Abbé et de Vaucresson , simply known as René Hérault, and sometimes as René Hérault de Vaucresson, was a French magistrate and administrator who served as Lieutenant General of Police of Paris from 1725 to 1739.-Origins and early career:Born in Rouen, he was the...
, the lieutenant general of police of Paris. From this marriage came Jean-Baptiste Martin Hérault de Séchelles, childhood friend of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville and father of the politician Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles
Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles
Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles was a French judge and politician who took part in the French Revolution.-Origins and early career:...
.