Jean Baptiste Antoine Auget de Montyon facts for kids
Antoine Jean Baptiste Robert Auget, Baron de Montyon (born in Paris on December 23, 1733 – died December 29, 1820) was a kind French person who used his wealth to help others. He is known as a philanthropist, which means someone who gives money and time to make life better for other people.
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A Life of Service
Antoine de Montyon was born in Paris in 1733. His father was a high-ranking financial official. Antoine studied law and became a lawyer in 1755. Later, he held important government jobs. He worked as a special assistant to the King's Council in 1760. He also served as an 'intendant' (a type of governor) in different regions of France, like Auvergne, Provence, and La Rochelle.
Standing Up for What's Right
Montyon was known for being very independent. He wasn't afraid to speak up when he thought something was wrong. For example, in 1766, he protested against an unfair accusation made against someone named Louis-René de La Chalotais. In 1771, he refused to close down local courts, even when ordered to do so. This showed his strong belief in justice.
In 1775, he became a 'councillor of state', which was a high position in the government. Later, in 1780, he worked for the comte d'Artois, who would later become King Charles X.
Helping Others in Exile
During the French Revolution, Montyon had to leave France. He lived in London for several years. While he was away, he spent a lot of his own money helping other French people who had also left their homes and were struggling. He returned to France only after things settled down.
Montyon's Famous Prizes
Between 1780 and 1787, Montyon started a special series of awards. These awards were given out by important French groups, like the Académie Française (French Academy) and the academies of science and medicine. These prizes stopped during the revolution but were started again in 1815. In 1812, he was also chosen as a member of the Royal Society of London, a famous scientific group.
A Legacy of Generosity
When Montyon passed away, he left a large sum of money to continue his awards forever. He left 12,000 francs for each of the Montyon prizes. These prizes were for:
- Finding ways to make dangerous jobs safer for workers.
- Improving any technical process or invention.
- The book published that year that helped humanity the most.
- The "prix de vertu" (prize of virtue) for the bravest act by a poor French person.
The awards were still given out by the learned academies. He also gave 12,000 francs to each of the hospitals in Paris, showing his care for the sick and needy.
His Writings
Montyon also wrote several books, mostly about how countries manage their money and people. Some of his notable works include:
- Éloge de Michel de l'hôpital (Paris, 1777)
- Recherches et considérations sur la population de la France (1778), which looked at France's population.
- Rapport fait à Louis XVIII (Constance, 1796), where he argued that France had always had a constitution, even if it was sometimes ignored.
- L'état statistique du Tunkin (1811)
- Particularités... sur les ministres des finances en France (1812), which shared details about finance ministers in France.
