René-Louis de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d' Argenson
Encyclopedia
René-Louis de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d'Argenson (October 18, 1694, Paris
– January 10, 1757) was a French
statesman, son of Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson
, the first Marquis d'Argenson, and brother of Marc-Pierre d'Argenson
. His son Marc-René
served as Minister of War and was a noted bibliophile.
From 1720 to 1724, d'Argenson was Intendant of Hainaut
, became privy counsel and from 1744 foreign minister. He negotiated with the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia to form a federation of Italian states. As last representant of the anti-Habsburg
faction, he was overturned by intrigues at the Spanish
court and appointed president of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
.
A friend of Voltaire
and the Encyclopedists, and an attendee of the Club de l'Entresol
, he turned writing scientific tracts, among them Considérations sur le gouvernement ancien et présent de la France (Amsterdam, 1764), and a tract important for understanding the inner machinations of France, Essais ou loisirs d'un ministre d'état, 2 vols. (Paris, 1787), rich in commentary and descriptions of noteworthy compatriots and anecdotes. His Memoirs are also of value as affecting the early and middle parts of Louis XV
's reign.
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...
– January 10, 1757) was a French
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, son of Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson
Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson (1652-1721)
Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy, 1st marquis d'Argenson was a French politician.-Biography:Argenson was born in Venice where his father, also Marc-René, was ambassador...
, the first Marquis d'Argenson, and brother of Marc-Pierre d'Argenson
Marc-Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, comte d'Argenson
Marc-Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, comte d'Argenson was a French politician, son of the 1st Marquis d'Argenson and the younger brother of René Louis d’Argenson. d'Argenson became general lieutenant of the Paris police in 1720, 1737 Intendand of Paris and 1743 secretary of state for war...
. His son Marc-René
Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson (1722-1787)
Marc Antoine René de Voyer, marquis de Paulmy and 3rd marquis d'Argenson , was the only son of René-Louis de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d' Argenson...
served as Minister of War and was a noted bibliophile.
From 1720 to 1724, d'Argenson was Intendant 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....
, became privy counsel and from 1744 foreign minister. He negotiated with the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia to form a federation of Italian states. As last representant of the anti-Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
faction, he was overturned by intrigues at the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
court and appointed president of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres is a French learned society devoted to the humanities, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the Institut de France.-History:...
.
A friend of Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
and the Encyclopedists, and an attendee of the Club de l'Entresol
Club de l'Entresol
The Club de l'Entresol |Mezzanine]] Club) was a think-tank, club and discussion group founded in 1724 by Pierre-Joseph Alary and Charles-Irénée Castel de Saint-Pierre on the English model for free discussion of political and economic questions...
, he turned writing scientific tracts, among them Considérations sur le gouvernement ancien et présent de la France (Amsterdam, 1764), and a tract important for understanding the inner machinations of France, Essais ou loisirs d'un ministre d'état, 2 vols. (Paris, 1787), rich in commentary and descriptions of noteworthy compatriots and anecdotes. His Memoirs are also of value as affecting the early and middle parts of Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
's reign.