Henri François d'Aguesseau facts for kids
Henri François d'Aguesseau (born November 27, 1668 – died February 5, 1751) was a very important French official. He served as the Chancellor of France three times between 1717 and 1750. The famous writer Voltaire even called him "the most learned judge France ever had."
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Early Life and Education
Henri François d'Aguesseau was born in Limoges, France. His family was known for having many judges and legal officials. His father, also named Henri d'Aguesseau, was a very smart and open-minded man. He held many important jobs in the government.
His father made sure Henri François learned a lot about law and government from a young age. He also raised him with strong religious beliefs.
Henri François studied law under a famous lawyer named Jean Domat. Domat's ideas greatly influenced d'Aguesseau's later work as a lawmaker. When he was just 21, he became one of the main lawyers for the parlement of Paris. This was a high court in France. His first speech there showed how smart and eloquent he was, earning him a great reputation. He became known as one of France's first great public speakers in law.
A Career in Law and Politics
In 1700, d'Aguesseau became the procurator-general. This meant he was the chief prosecutor and legal advisor to the king. He held this job for 17 years. During this time, he became very popular. He defended the rights of the French Catholic Church during religious disagreements.
In 1717, he was made the Chancellor of France. This was one of the highest positions in the government. However, he lost this job a year later. He was sent away from Paris because he strongly disagreed with the financial plans of John Law. Law's ideas were very popular with the regent, Philip II, Duke of Orléans, who was ruling France at the time.
Returning to Power
In 1720, d'Aguesseau was called back to government. People wanted him to help fix the problems caused by John Law's financial plans. He helped calm the public and repair the damage.
Later, he faced another challenge. The parlement (the high court) refused to approve a religious order called the bull Unigenitus. D'Aguesseau worried this could cause a religious war. He worked with the regent's favorite advisor, Guillaume Dubois, to make the parlement approve the order. This decision made some people unhappy with him.
Despite this, d'Aguesseau often disagreed with Dubois on other matters. When Dubois became the chief minister, d'Aguesseau lost his job as Chancellor again in 1722.
Years of Study and Final Return
D'Aguesseau spent five years away from court, which he loved. He spent his time studying the Bible in different languages. He also studied laws from France and other countries. He enjoyed philosophy, literature, and gardening.
In 1727, he was called back to court by Cardinal Fleury, a powerful advisor. He was named Chancellor for the third time. However, he didn't fully get his powers back until ten years later. During this time, he tried to help solve arguments between the court and the parlement.
When he finally got his full powers back, he focused entirely on his duties as Chancellor. He worked hard to make important reforms to French law. He wanted to create a single, clear set of all French laws, but this was a huge task he couldn't finish.
Still, he made many important changes. He improved laws about gifts, wills, and inheritances. He also made rules to improve court procedures and make laws more consistent across different regions of France. These changes were very important for French law. His work put him in the same league as other great French legal reformers. Today, his statue stands with six others overlooking the chamber of the French Senate in the Luxembourg Palace.
Retirement and Legacy
In 1750, when he was over 82 years old, d'Aguesseau retired from his duties as Chancellor. He passed away on February 5, 1751.
His grandson, Henri Cardin Jean Baptiste, Marquis d'Aguesseau (1746–1826), also became a lawyer and politician. He was elected to the French Academy in 1787.
His granddaughter, Henriette Anne Louise d'Aguesseau, was the mother-in-law of the famous Marquis de La Fayette.
