François Dominique de Reynaud, Comte de Montlosier
Encyclopedia
Francois Dominique de Reynaud, Comte de Montlosier (April 16, 1755, Clermont-Ferrand
– December 9, 1838), was a notable French politician and political writer during the First French Empire
, Bourbon Restoration
and July Monarchy
. He was the youngest of a large family belonging to the poorer nobility.
to the Estates-General
, where he was a member from September 1789. Later, in 1791, he was also elected to the National Constituent Assembly
, where he sat on the Royalist
side. He defended the French monarchy with obstinacy and talent and helped edit the French pamphlet Les Actes des Apôtres.
In September 1791, after the dissolution of the Assembly, Montlosier fled to Germany where he tried to join the counter-revolutionary Army of Condé
at Coblenz. After some protest concerning the liberal
leanings he had shown in the Assembly, he was finally accepted.
, Montlosier withdrew to Hamburg
, and thence to London
, where he avoided English
society, moving exclusively among the French exiles.
In his Courrier de Londres, published in London, he advocated moderation and the abandonment by the exiles of any idea of revenge. He was recalled to Paris
in 1801, with permission to publish his paper in London. The Courrier was soon suppressed, nevertheless, its editor being compensated by a comfortable sinecure in the ministry of foreign affairs. Next year he sold his pen to the government to edit the violent anti-English Bulletin de Paris.
, which should serve as a justification for the empire. After four years' labor Montlosier submitted his work to a specially appointed committee, by which it was rejected because of the stress laid on the feudal limitations of the royal authority. The work De la monarchie française . . . ou recherches sur les anciennes institutions françaises . . . et sur les causes qui ont amené la revolution . . . appeared in 1814 in three volumes, a fourth and supplementary volume in the next year containing a preface hostile to Napoleon.
His views were no more acceptable to Louis XVIII
than they had been to the emperor, and he devoted himself to agriculture
until he was roused by the clerical and reactionary policy of Charles X
. His anti-clerical Memoire à consulter sur un système religieux, politique . . . (1826) rapidly passed through eight editions.
In 1829 he published De l'origine, de la nature, et des progrés de la puissance écclesiastique en France [On the origin, nature, and progress of ecclesiastical power in France]. In this book, Montlosier claims there were 500,000 affiliated Jesuits in France in the Chamber of Paris, in the Chamber of Deputies, at the court, in the army, in the courts, etc. He had no part in the revolution of 1830
, but supported Louis Philippe
's government, and entered the House of Peers
in 1832. He died on the 9th of December 1838 at Blois
. Ecclesiastical burial was denied him because he had refused to abjure his anti-clerical writings.
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
– December 9, 1838), was a notable French politician and political writer during the First French 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...
, Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
and July Monarchy
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
. He was the youngest of a large family belonging to the poorer nobility.
Political activity
He was elected as a stand-in diplomat from the nobility of bailiwick of Clermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
to the Estates-General
Estates-General of 1789
The Estates-General of 1789 was the first meeting since 1614 of the French Estates-General, a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the nobility, the Church, and the common people...
, where he was a member from September 1789. Later, in 1791, he was also elected to the National Constituent Assembly
National Constituent Assembly
The National Constituent Assembly was formed from the National Assembly on 9 July 1789, during the first stages of the French Revolution. It dissolved on 30 September 1791 and was succeeded by the Legislative Assembly.-Background:...
, where he sat on the Royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
side. He defended the French monarchy with obstinacy and talent and helped edit the French pamphlet Les Actes des Apôtres.
In September 1791, after the dissolution of the Assembly, Montlosier fled to Germany where he tried to join the counter-revolutionary Army of Condé
Army of Condé
The Army of Condé was a French field army during the French Revolutionary Wars. One of several émigré field armies, it was the only one to survive the War of the First Coalition; others had been formed by the Comte d'Artois and Mirabeau-Tonneau...
at Coblenz. After some protest concerning the liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
leanings he had shown in the Assembly, he was finally accepted.
Exile in England
After the cannonade of ValmyBattle of Valmy
The Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
, Montlosier withdrew to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, and thence to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he avoided English
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...
society, moving exclusively among the French exiles.
In his Courrier de Londres, published in London, he advocated moderation and the abandonment by the exiles of any idea of revenge. He was recalled to Paris
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...
in 1801, with permission to publish his paper in London. The Courrier was soon suppressed, nevertheless, its editor being compensated by a comfortable sinecure in the ministry of foreign affairs. Next year he sold his pen to the government to edit the violent anti-English Bulletin de Paris.
Historical works
At Napoleon's request he undertook an account of the ancient monarchy of FranceFrance
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...
, which should serve as a justification for the empire. After four years' labor Montlosier submitted his work to a specially appointed committee, by which it was rejected because of the stress laid on the feudal limitations of the royal authority. The work De la monarchie française . . . ou recherches sur les anciennes institutions françaises . . . et sur les causes qui ont amené la revolution . . . appeared in 1814 in three volumes, a fourth and supplementary volume in the next year containing a preface hostile to Napoleon.
His views were no more acceptable to 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...
than they had been to the emperor, and he devoted himself to agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
until he was roused by the clerical and reactionary policy of Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
. His anti-clerical Memoire à consulter sur un système religieux, politique . . . (1826) rapidly passed through eight editions.
In 1829 he published De l'origine, de la nature, et des progrés de la puissance écclesiastique en France [On the origin, nature, and progress of ecclesiastical power in France]. In this book, Montlosier claims there were 500,000 affiliated Jesuits in France in the Chamber of Paris, in the Chamber of Deputies, at the court, in the army, in the courts, etc. He had no part in the revolution of 1830
Revolution of 1830
The Revolution of 1830 can be:* The July Revolution in France leading to a constitutional monarchy lasting until the revolutions of 1848* The Belgian Revolution in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands leading to the creation of Belgium...
, but supported Louis Philippe
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
's government, and entered the House of Peers
Peerage of France
The Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...
in 1832. He died on the 9th of December 1838 at Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
. Ecclesiastical burial was denied him because he had refused to abjure his anti-clerical writings.
External Links
- Full text of De la nécessité d'une contre-révolution en France : Pour rétablir les finances, la religion, les moeurs, la monarchie et la liberté, by Francois Dominique de Reynaud, Comte de Montlosier, 1791.