Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure
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Portrait by Ary Scheffer
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| President of the Provisional Government | |
| In office 26 February 1848 – 9 May 1848 |
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| Preceded by | Louis Philippe II (as King of the French) François Guizot (as Prime Minister of France) |
| Succeeded by | François Arago (as President of the Executive Commission) |
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| Born | 27 February 1767 Le Neubourg, France |
| Died | 3 March 1855 (aged 88) Rouge-Perriers, France |
| Political party | Moderate Republicans |
Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure (French pronunciation: [ʒak ʃaʁl dypɔ̃ də lœʁ]; 27 February 1767 – 3 March 1855) was an important French lawyer and politician. He is most famous for being the first head of state of the Second Republic. This happened after the July Monarchy government collapsed because of the French Revolution of 1848.
Contents
Discovering Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure
Early Life and Legal Career
Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure was born in Le Neubourg, a town in Normandy, France. He became a lawyer in Normandy just as the French Revolution was starting. This was a time of big changes in France. During the First Republic and the First Empire, he worked in different legal jobs. He served in cities like Louviers, Rouen, and Évreux. He believed in the ideas of the Revolution. In 1798, he began his political journey. He became a member of the French Directory's Council of Five Hundred. This was a major law-making body at the time.
Rising in French Politics
In 1813, Dupont de l'Eure joined the Corps législatif. This was another important group that helped make laws. During the Hundred Days, a short period when Napoleon returned to power, he was the vice-president of the chamber of deputies. This group represented the people. When armies from other countries entered Paris, he helped write a statement. This statement said that the government should stick to the principles of the Revolution. He was also chosen to be one of the people who talked with the leaders of these other countries.
A Consistent Liberal Leader
From 1817 to 1849, Dupont de l'Eure was always a member of the chamber of deputies. This was through two different periods of French history: the Bourbon Restoration and the July Monarchy. He always supported the Liberal opposition. This group wanted more freedom and rights for people. He was seen as their main leader. For a few months in 1830, he worked as the Minister of Justice. But he didn't agree with his colleagues, so he resigned. He then went back to being a leader in the opposition.
Leading the Second Republic (1848)
When the Revolution of 1848 began, Dupont de l'Eure was the oldest member of the provisional assembly. Because of his age and experience, he was made President of this assembly. On the same day, he became President of the Provisional Government. This made him the acting Head of State of France. He is often seen as France's first "Presidential Head of State." However, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the first to officially be called "President of the French Republic" later that year.
Dupont de l'Eure was very respected and popular. This helped different groups of republicans work together without immediately needing a single leader. Since he was almost 81 years old, he let the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alphonse de Lamartine, handle some of his duties. On May 4, he stepped down to make way for the Executive Commission. He chose not to join this new group. He supported Louis-Eugène Cavaignac in the election against Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte. In 1849, he was not re-elected to the chamber, so he retired from public life.
Dupont de l'Eure was known for always defending constitutional liberalism. This means he believed in a government with rules and rights for everyone. He earned the respect of many French people for his consistent beliefs. They even called him the "Aristides of the French tribune." This compared him to an ancient Greek statesman known for his honesty.
See also
In Spanish: Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure para niños
