Nicolas François, Count Mollien
Encyclopedia
Nicolas François, Count Mollien (28 February 1758 — 1850), French financier, was born at Paris
. The son of a merchant
, he early showed ability, and entered the ministry of finance
, where he rose rapidly; in 1784, at the time of the renewal of the arrangements with the tax-farmers-general, he was practically chief in that department and made terms advantageous to the national exchequer
.
Under Calonne
he improved the returns from the farmers-general; and he was largely instrumental in bringing about the erection of the octroi
walls of Paris in place of the insufficient wooden barriers. He, however, advocated an abolition of some of the restrictions on imports, as came about in the Anglo-French commercial treaty of 1786
, to the conclusion of which he contributed in no small measure.
The events of the French Revolution
threatened at times to overwhelm Mollien. In 1794 he was brought before the revolutionary tribunal of Évreux
as a suspect, and narrowly escaped the fate that befell many of the former farmers-general. He retired to England
, where he observed the financial measures adopted at the crisis of 1796-1797.
After the coup d'état
of 18 Brumaire
(November 1799) he re-entered the ministry of finance, then under Gaudin
, who entrusted to him important duties as director of the new caisse d'amortissement. Napoleon
, hearing of his abilities, frequently consulted him on financial matters, and after the Proclamation of the Empire
(May 1804) made him a councillor of state. The severe financial crisis of December 1805 to January 1806 served to reveal once more his sound sense. Napoleon, returning in haste not long after the Battle of Austerlitz
, dismissed Barbé-Marbois
from the ministry of the treasury and confided to Mollien those important duties.
He soon succeeded in freeing the treasury from the interference of great banking houses. In other respects, however, he did something towards curbing Napoleon's desire for a precise regulation of the money market. The conversations between them on this subject, as reported in Mollien's Mémoirs, are of high interest, and show that the ministry had a far truer judgement on financial matters than the emperor, who often twitted him with being an ideologue.
In 1808 Mollien was awarded the title of count. He soon came to see the impossibility of the measures termed collectively the Continental System
; but his warnings on that subject were of no avail. After the first abdication of the emperor (April 11, 1814), Mollien retired into private life, but took up his ministerial duties at the appeal of Napoleon during the Hundred Days
(1815), after which he again retired. Louis XVIII
wished to bring him back to office, but he resisted these appeals. Nominated a peer in 1819, he took some part in connection with the annual budgets. He lived to see the election of Louis-Napoleon as president of the Second Republic
, and died in April 1850; with the exception of Étienne Denis Pasquier, he was the last surviving minister of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Paris
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...
. The son of a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, he early showed ability, and entered the ministry of finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
, where he rose rapidly; in 1784, at the time of the renewal of the arrangements with the tax-farmers-general, he was practically chief in that department and made terms advantageous to the national exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
.
Under Calonne
Charles Alexandre de Calonne
Charles Alexandre, vicomte de Calonne was a French statesman, best known for his involvement in the French Revolution.-Rise to prominence:...
he improved the returns from the farmers-general; and he was largely instrumental in bringing about the erection of the octroi
Octroi
Octroi is a local tax collected on various articles brought into a district for consumption.-Antiquity:Octroi taxes have a respectable antiquity, being known in Roman times as vectigalia...
walls of Paris in place of the insufficient wooden barriers. He, however, advocated an abolition of some of the restrictions on imports, as came about in the Anglo-French commercial treaty of 1786
Eden Agreement
The Eden Treaty was a treaty signed between Great Britain and France in 1786, named after the British negotiator William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland . It effectively ended, for a brief time, the economic war between France and the British and set up a system to reduce tariffs on goods from either...
, to the conclusion of which he contributed in no small measure.
The events of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
threatened at times to overwhelm Mollien. In 1794 he was brought before the revolutionary tribunal of Évreux
Évreux
Évreux is a commune in the Eure department, of which it is the capital, in Haute Normandie in northern France.-History:In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century CE, was named Mediolanum Aulercorum, "the central town of the Aulerci", the Gallic tribe then inhabiting the area...
as a suspect, and narrowly escaped the fate that befell many of the former farmers-general. He retired to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he observed the financial measures adopted at the crisis of 1796-1797.
After the coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of 18 Brumaire
18 Brumaire
The coup of 18 Brumaire was the coup d'état by which General Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the French Directory, replacing it with the French Consulate...
(November 1799) he re-entered the ministry of finance, then under Gaudin
Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin
Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin, 1st Duc de Gaete was a French statesman, Napoleon I Bonaparte's Minister of Finances from November 1799 to March 1814, including the Cent Jours following Napoleon's return from Elba.-Biography:...
, who entrusted to him important duties as director of the new caisse d'amortissement. Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, hearing of his abilities, frequently consulted him on financial matters, and after the Proclamation of the Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
(May 1804) made him a councillor of state. The severe financial crisis of December 1805 to January 1806 served to reveal once more his sound sense. Napoleon, returning in haste not long after the Battle of Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
, dismissed Barbé-Marbois
François Barbé-Marbois
François Barbé-Marbois, marquis de Barbé-Marbois was a French politician.-Early career:Born in Metz, where his father was director of the local mint, Barbé-Marbois tutored the children of the Marquis de Castries. In 1779 he was made secretary of the French legation to the United States...
from the ministry of the treasury and confided to Mollien those important duties.
He soon succeeded in freeing the treasury from the interference of great banking houses. In other respects, however, he did something towards curbing Napoleon's desire for a precise regulation of the money market. The conversations between them on this subject, as reported in Mollien's Mémoirs, are of high interest, and show that the ministry had a far truer judgement on financial matters than the emperor, who often twitted him with being an ideologue.
In 1808 Mollien was awarded the title of count. He soon came to see the impossibility of the measures termed collectively the Continental System
Continental System
The Continental System or Continental Blockade was the foreign policy of Napoleon I of France in his struggle against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland during the Napoleonic Wars. It was a large-scale embargo against British trade, which began on November 21, 1806...
; but his warnings on that subject were of no avail. After the first abdication of the emperor (April 11, 1814), Mollien retired into private life, but took up his ministerial duties at the appeal of Napoleon during the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
(1815), after which he again retired. Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
wished to bring him back to office, but he resisted these appeals. Nominated a peer in 1819, he took some part in connection with the annual budgets. He lived to see the election of Louis-Napoleon as president of the Second Republic
French Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
, and died in April 1850; with the exception of Étienne Denis Pasquier, he was the last surviving minister of Napoleon Bonaparte.