André Falquet facts for kids
André Falquet was born in Geneva on February 11, 1681, and passed away there on January 28, 1755. He was a successful merchant and trader from Geneva. He also became a member of the city's important Council of Two Hundred.
Contents
André Falquet's Life Story
André Falquet's family came from a place called Pouilly, near Contamine-sur-Arve. His ancestor, Aymé Falquet, made vinegar. Later, André's great-grandfather bought property in Geneva. André's father, Pierre, was a jeweler.
André Falquet was baptized on February 14, 1681, at Saint-Pierre Cathedral. His godfather was André Rousseau, who was the brother of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's grandfather.
After finishing his studies in 1703, André started working in his father's jewelry business. In the same year, he traveled through Southern Germany. During his trip, he found himself in the middle of the War of the Spanish Succession.
Because André spoke French, he was able to talk to the French general, Marshal de Villars. He convinced the general to release four wagons of goods that belonged to merchants from Augsburg. These goods had been taken by the army.
For helping the city of Augsburg, André received a special silver-gilt cup. This cup is now known as the Gobelet André Falquet. André also helped the Imperial Austrian Army with trade. Because of his services, he was given a special honor. His family was made noble, and their coat of arms was improved. This happened on June 16, 1725.
André Falquet married Suzanne Lullin on June 10, 1731. From 1734, André was a member of the Council of Two Hundred in Geneva. This was a very important group that helped govern the city.
Becoming a Noble: The Diploma
In 1725, André Falquet was officially made a noble by Emperor Charles VI. This was done with a special document called a "Nobility Diploma." This document made his family's coat of arms even better.
The diploma was very long, with thirteen pages made of parchment. One whole page showed the beautiful new coat of arms. The entire document was written in Latin. This was because the rules at the time did not allow French, André's native language, to be used for such official papers. Instead, German or Latin had to be used.
The document was signed and witnessed many times, as was required for important papers from the Imperial Court. Some of the important people who signed it were:
- Charles VI, the Emperor himself.
- Friedrich Karl Graf von Schönborn, who was a high-ranking official.
- Philipp Wilderich Johann Georgendiel von Georgenthal, a special secretary.
- Jodoc Pein, the Registrar.
The official seal of Charles VI was also attached to the document, making it truly official.
Falquet Family
Some of André Falquet's family members who came after him, like Jean-Louis Falquet, also became important statesmen.
See also
- Gobelet André Falquet
Images for kids
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The coat of arms of Falquet improved with the document (see below) of 1725 by Charles VI.
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Le Gobelet d'André Falquet
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Seal of Charles VI attached to the diploma.
