Adrien-Louis de Bonnières, duc de Guînes
Encyclopedia
Adrien-Louis de Bonnières, comte then duc de Guînes (Lille
1735 — 1806) was a French nobleman at the court of Louis XVI
and Marie Antoinette, whose favourite he was. He was French ambassador briefly at Berlin, 1768-69 then at London, during a period when Britain and France were not at war, 1770–76, returning to Paris when the French aid to the American colonies occasioned a diplomatic breach.
Following a brief military career during the Seven Years' War
, which found him a brigadier in the French army, Bonnières entered upon a diplomatic career, buoyed and hampered by a dry wit: "It was a most lively animated gazette," M. de Genlis reported after a visit to the prince de Conti in 1766, with Guînes in the company: "his whole reputation hangs on a manner of spying out all the little ridiculous trifles and of an ill grace, which he relates in few words with an amusing manner". A protegé of the Choiseul
and the Noailles
, and a friend of Frederick II of Prussia
, who had visited him in 1766, he was named ambassador at Berlin in 1768, but soon fell out of favour to such a degree he was recalled in November 1769.
As a consolation, at the urging of the queen, he was named ambassador to the Court of St. James's the following year, and remained at that post, with periodic recalls to Versailles, until 1776. His reputation in London was magnificent, in stark contrast to his predecessors Châtelet, Guerchy and Durand. His affair with Lady Elizabeth Craven
was overlooked, in part because of her beauty and charm. It was said of him that when the noon gun was fired, and someone in his entourage asked what that was, he retorted "I think they've sighted the sun." He made a wider reputation with the awkward "Guînes affair" in which he pressed charges, 20 April 1771, against his secretary, Barthélemy Tort de la Sonde, whom he accused of having used his name in speculating in the public funds. Tort, on being arrested, asserted that he had acted upon Guînes' directions and for his account. In Paris the duc d'Aiguillon, named secretary of state for foreign affairs, 6 June, took Tort's part, whereas the queen defended her friend Guînes, and the affair was taken up by the antagonistic parties of Choiseul and Aiguillon. Guînes was eventually found not guilty, by a narrow margin, in a special commission of councillors of state, who had been named by the king. The affair rankled; it served among the reasons for the dismissal of Aiguillon, under the queen's lasting displeasure.
On his return to France he was made duc de Guînes and remained in royal good graces, becoming a chevalier of the Order of Saint Esprit 1 January 1784. His only daughter Marie-Adrienne was married in 1778 to Charles de La Croix de Castries, who, when he was made duc de Castries in 1784, secured the promise of the reversion of the Guînes title, which never transpired, as the duke outlived the Bourbon monarchy.
He was named to the council of war, 1787, and made governor of Artois
, 1788. On the eve of the French Revolution, Guînes was named to the second Assembly of Notables
which sat from 6 November to 12 December 1788. He emigrated to England at the outset of the French Revolution
and returned under the Consulate. He died in 1806.
The duc de Guînes, who, like Frederick of Prussia, was an accomplished flautist, commissioned from Mozart
the familiar Concerto for Flute and Harp (K. 299), written in 1778. When the time came for Mozart to collect his fee for the commission from the flautist duke and the 24 lessons on the harp he had given the duke's daughter, de Guînes was unavailable; his housekeeper could only offer half the agreed amount. "There's noble treatment for you," Mozart wrote his father.
The duc de Guînes was immensely corpulent. He had two sets of breeches, one for sitting, and a tighter set when he would only be standing. His valet would ask each morning, "Will Monsieur be sitting today." If not, he would be lowered into a pair of breeches with the aid of two footmen.
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...
1735 — 1806) was a French nobleman at the court of Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
and Marie Antoinette, whose favourite he was. He was French ambassador briefly at Berlin, 1768-69 then at London, during a period when Britain and France were not at war, 1770–76, returning to Paris when the French aid to the American colonies occasioned a diplomatic breach.
Following a brief military career during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, which found him a brigadier in the French army, Bonnières entered upon a diplomatic career, buoyed and hampered by a dry wit: "It was a most lively animated gazette," M. de Genlis reported after a visit to the prince de Conti in 1766, with Guînes in the company: "his whole reputation hangs on a manner of spying out all the little ridiculous trifles and of an ill grace, which he relates in few words with an amusing manner". A protegé of the Choiseul
Choiseul
-People:*Choiseul . Holders include:-** Caesar, duc de Choiseul , French marshal and diplomat, generally known for the best part of his life as marshal du Plessis-Praslin** Claude de Choiseul , marshal of France in 1693...
and the Noailles
Noailles
Noailles is the name of several communes in France:* Noailles, Corrèze, in the Corrèze département* Noailles, Oise, in the Oise département* Noailles, Tarn, in the Tarn département* Noailles, a neighborhood of Marseilles and its metro station...
, and a friend of Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, who had visited him in 1766, he was named ambassador at Berlin in 1768, but soon fell out of favour to such a degree he was recalled in November 1769.
As a consolation, at the urging of the queen, he was named ambassador to the Court of St. James's the following year, and remained at that post, with periodic recalls to Versailles, until 1776. His reputation in London was magnificent, in stark contrast to his predecessors Châtelet, Guerchy and Durand. His affair with Lady Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven
Elizabeth Craven , Princess Berkeley , previously "Lady Craven" of Hamstead Marshall, was an author, playwright, traveller, and socialite, perhaps best known for her travelogues...
was overlooked, in part because of her beauty and charm. It was said of him that when the noon gun was fired, and someone in his entourage asked what that was, he retorted "I think they've sighted the sun." He made a wider reputation with the awkward "Guînes affair" in which he pressed charges, 20 April 1771, against his secretary, Barthélemy Tort de la Sonde, whom he accused of having used his name in speculating in the public funds. Tort, on being arrested, asserted that he had acted upon Guînes' directions and for his account. In Paris the duc d'Aiguillon, named secretary of state for foreign affairs, 6 June, took Tort's part, whereas the queen defended her friend Guînes, and the affair was taken up by the antagonistic parties of Choiseul and Aiguillon. Guînes was eventually found not guilty, by a narrow margin, in a special commission of councillors of state, who had been named by the king. The affair rankled; it served among the reasons for the dismissal of Aiguillon, under the queen's lasting displeasure.
On his return to France he was made duc de Guînes and remained in royal good graces, becoming a chevalier of the Order of Saint Esprit 1 January 1784. His only daughter Marie-Adrienne was married in 1778 to Charles de La Croix de Castries, who, when he was made duc de Castries in 1784, secured the promise of the reversion of the Guînes title, which never transpired, as the duke outlived the Bourbon monarchy.
He was named to the council of war, 1787, and made governor of Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, 1788. On the eve of the French Revolution, Guînes was named to the second Assembly of Notables
Assembly of Notables
The Assembly of Notables was a group of notables invited by the King of France to consult on matters of state.-History:Assemblies of Notables had met in 1583, 1596–97, 1617, 1626, 1787, and 1788. Like the Estates General, they served a consultative purpose only...
which sat from 6 November to 12 December 1788. He emigrated to England at the outset 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...
and returned under the Consulate. He died in 1806.
The duc de Guînes, who, like Frederick of Prussia, was an accomplished flautist, commissioned from Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
the familiar Concerto for Flute and Harp (K. 299), written in 1778. When the time came for Mozart to collect his fee for the commission from the flautist duke and the 24 lessons on the harp he had given the duke's daughter, de Guînes was unavailable; his housekeeper could only offer half the agreed amount. "There's noble treatment for you," Mozart wrote his father.
The duc de Guînes was immensely corpulent. He had two sets of breeches, one for sitting, and a tighter set when he would only be standing. His valet would ask each morning, "Will Monsieur be sitting today." If not, he would be lowered into a pair of breeches with the aid of two footmen.