Jacques de Flesselles facts for kids
Jacques de Flesselles was an important French official. He lived from 1730 to 1789. He is known as one of the first people to die during the French Revolution.
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Early Life of Jacques de Flesselles
Jacques de Flesselles was born in Paris in 1730. His family was from the middle class but had recently become part of the French nobility. His father, also named Jacques de Flesselles, worked in finance. He was an advisor to the king. Young Jacques de Flesselles chose a similar career path.
Career as a French Official
Jacques de Flesselles held several important government jobs. In 1762, he became an Intendant (a type of royal administrator) in Moulins. Then, in 1765, he moved to Rennes as an Intendant.
From 1768 to 1784, he served as the Intendant of Lyon. People respected him there because he wanted to make things better. He was interested in science and even helped fund a Montgolfier hot air balloon in 1784. The balloon was named "Flesselles" in his honor.
On April 21, 1789, de Flesselles got a new job. He became the last provost of the merchants of Paris. This job was a lot like being the mayor of Paris. Just three months later, the city became very chaotic. There were many problems, and the king's army left Paris. This created a power vacuum, meaning no one was really in charge.
The Start of the French Revolution
On July 13, 1789, people in Paris asked de Flesselles for weapons. They wanted to form a group of citizens to help keep order. He could only give them three muskets from the city's supplies. His ideas about where to find more weapons turned out to be wrong or misleading.
The very next day, July 14, the storming of the Bastille happened. This was a major event in the French Revolution. After the Bastille fell, an angry crowd gathered at the Paris City Hall. They accused de Flesselles of supporting the king. While he was trying to explain himself on the steps of City Hall, an unknown person shot and killed him. Jacques de Flesselles was one of several leaders from the old government, known as the ancien régime, who died that day.
See also
In Spanish: Jacques de Flesselles para niños
