Philibert Orry facts for kids
Philibert Orry (born on January 22, 1689, in Troyes – died on November 9, 1747, at La Chapelle-Godefroy) was an important French leader. He served the King of France in many different roles, helping to manage the country's money and public works.
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Philibert Orry's Early Life and Career
Philibert Orry was the fifth child of Jean Orry, a famous economist. Philibert started his career in the military, serving as a cavalry captain during the War of the Spanish Succession. After his military service, he became a member of the Parlement of Paris, which was a high court. In 1715, he became a "master of requests," a role that involved advising the king on legal matters.
He then worked as an "intendant" in several regions of France. An intendant was a royal official who managed a specific area for the king. Orry was an intendant in Lille (from 1715 to 1718), Soissons (from 1722 to 1727), and Roussillon (from 1727 to 1728).
Managing France's Money
In 1730, Philibert Orry was given a very important job: Controller-General of Finances. This meant he was in charge of all of France's money. He held this position for a long time, until 1745, making him the person who served the longest in this role during the 1700s.
Orry was a skilled economist, just like his father. He worked hard to improve France's finances. He brought back a tax called the dixième (which meant "tenth"), where people paid a tenth of their income. He also made it possible to buy positions as city officials, which helped bring in money for the government. Thanks to his efforts, France's budget was balanced in 1739-1740.
Orry also believed in supporting French businesses. He followed the ideas of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, an earlier French minister. Orry helped develop factories that made textiles (like cloth) and paper. He was also involved in starting the production of porcelain in Vincennes in 1740. To boost trade, he reformed the rules for the Compagnie des Indes, a company that traded with places like Canada and the Indies.
Overseeing Royal Buildings and Arts
In 1736, Orry also became the director general of the Bâtiments du Roi ("the king's buildings"). This meant he was in charge of all royal construction and art projects.
As director of buildings, he started the bi-annual Paris Salon, which was a public art exhibition. He also became a leader in the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture ("Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture") in 1737. While some people at the time criticized his taste in art, his choice of Charles-Joseph Natoire to decorate his own home showed that he could recognize talented artists. Natoire was a promising young painter, and Orry chose him when other famous artists were not available.
Improving Roads and Maps
Orry also directed the "Ponts et Chaussées" (bridges and highways department). He worked to finish the Crozat canal and greatly improved France's road system.
In 1738, he sent detailed instructions to officials about a duty called la corvée royale. This rule required all citizens to spend about two weeks a year working on building and maintaining roads. This system helped create one of the best road networks in Europe before the French Revolution. Orry's focus on better communication also led to the completion of the famous Cassini map of France in 1744.
Later Life
Philibert Orry resigned from his important roles in 1745, partly because he faced opposition from Madame de Pompadour, a powerful figure at court. He continued to serve as the Treasurer of the Order of the Holy Spirit, a French knightly order, until his death in 1747.
Orry's Homes
Philibert Orry owned the château de La Chapelle-Godefroy in Saint-Aubin, near Nogent-sur-Seine. He inherited this estate from his father in 1719. He greatly expanded and improved this property. He also owned two famous paintings by Jean-Antoine Watteau, called Enchanteur and Aventurière. These paintings are now in the musée des Beaux-Arts in Troyes.
Orry also had another home in Paris called Petit Bercy.
See also
In Spanish: Philibert Orry para niños
