Michel Le Tellier
Encyclopedia
Michel Le Tellier, marquis de Barbezieux, seigneur de Chaville et de Viroflay (19 April 1603 – 30 October 1685) was a French
statesman
.
to a Parisian magistrate and his wife. He entered the public service and became maître des requêtes
, (a higher level lawyer, or 'procureur') in 1631 for Louis XIII of France
. In 1640 le Tellier was appointed Intendant of Justice for the French military stationed in Piedmont, Italy
. In 1643, owing to his friendship with the head French minister Cardinal
Jules Mazarin, he became Secretary of State for Military Affairs (known as 'Secretary of State for War' during that era), and was known as being an efficient administrator. He was active in the troubles associated with the aristocratic Fronde
uprising, remaining loyal to Cardinal Mazarin and to the state.
In 1677 he was made Chancellor of France. One of his major contributions as chancellor included his transformation of the royal army into a considerably larger, more professional force that helped impose the absolute rule of Louis XIV
, helping to ensure France's dominance of Europe.
Le Tellier, who despised Protestantism
, was one of those who influenced Louis XIV
to revoke the Edict of Nantes
which had previously provided religious freedoms to them. He further encouraged the persecution of the Huguenots. He died a few days after the revocation had been signed.
Le Tellier also amassed great wealth during his life and left two sons, one being famous statesman Louvois
who also served France as Secretary of State for War, and who ultimately became one of the most powerful officials of the regime under his father's tutelage. Michel's other son Charles Maurice Le Tellier became the Archbishop of Reims
.
Michel le Tellier's correspondence reside within the Bibliothéque Nationale in Paris.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
.
Biography
Le Tellier was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to a Parisian magistrate and his wife. He entered the public service and became 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:...
, (a higher level lawyer, or 'procureur') in 1631 for Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
. In 1640 le Tellier was appointed Intendant of Justice for the French military stationed in Piedmont, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 1643, owing to his friendship with the head French minister Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Jules Mazarin, he became Secretary of State for Military Affairs (known as 'Secretary of State for War' during that era), and was known as being an efficient administrator. He was active in the troubles associated with the aristocratic Fronde
Fronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
uprising, remaining loyal to Cardinal Mazarin and to the state.
In 1677 he was made Chancellor of France. One of his major contributions as chancellor included his transformation of the royal army into a considerably larger, more professional force that helped impose the absolute rule of Louis XIV
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the...
, helping to ensure France's dominance of Europe.
Le Tellier, who despised Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, was one of those who influenced Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
to revoke the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
which had previously provided religious freedoms to them. He further encouraged the persecution of the Huguenots. He died a few days after the revocation had been signed.
Le Tellier also amassed great wealth during his life and left two sons, one being famous statesman Louvois
François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV. Louvois and his father, Michel le Tellier, would increase the French Army to 400,000 soldiers, an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713...
who also served France as Secretary of State for War, and who ultimately became one of the most powerful officials of the regime under his father's tutelage. Michel's other son Charles Maurice Le Tellier became the Archbishop of Reims
Archbishop of Reims
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese around 250 by St. Sixtus, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese around 750...
.
Michel le Tellier's correspondence reside within the Bibliothéque Nationale in Paris.
Children
- François Michel Le Tellier (18 January 1641 – 16 July 1691) married Anne de Souvré, Marquise de Courtenvaux, and had issue; one of his grand daughters married Emmanuel Théodose de La Tour d'AuvergneEmmanuel Théodose de La Tour d'Auvergne (1668–1730)Emmanuel Théodose de La Tour d'Auvergne was a French nobleman and ruler of the Soveriegn Duchy of Bouillon. He was the son of Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne and his wife Marie Anne Mancini...
, the Duke of BouillonDuke of BouillonThe Duke of Bouillon is a title of nobility. Until the nineteenth century, the Duke of Bouillon was the ruler of the semi-sovereign Duchy of Bouillon , a small state located between Luxembourg, Champagne, and the Three Bishoprics and centered on Bouillon.- History of the Duchy of Bouillon :The...
; - Madeleine Fare Le Tellier (1645-23 June 1668) married Louis Marie Victor d'Aumont de Rochebaron, Duke of Aumont had issue; ancrestress of Louise d'Aumont, Hereditary princess of Monaco. Present Prince of MonacoPrince of MonacoThe Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, but have belonged to various other houses in male line...
is a descendant of Madeleine Fare.
See also
- Ancien Régime
- François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de LouvoisFrançois-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de LouvoisFrançois Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV. Louvois and his father, Michel le Tellier, would increase the French Army to 400,000 soldiers, an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713...
(le Tellier son) - Charles Maurice Le Tellier (le Tellier son)
- French Wars of ReligionFrench Wars of ReligionThe French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
- Religious persecutionReligious persecutionReligious persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or lack thereof....
- Religious violenceReligious violenceReligious violence is a term that covers all phenomena where religion, in any of its forms, is either the subject or object of violent behaviour. Religious violence is, specifically, violence that is motivated by or in reaction to religious precepts, texts or doctrines...
- Religious warReligious warA religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...