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Biography. Jean-Baptiste Colbert - biography, photos of Jean Colbert

(1666), Royal Academy of Music (1669) and Royal Academy of Architecture (1671).

Biography

Military costs

Colbert's financial measures owed their harsh character to Louis's expensive wars, which required enormous expenses. Because of these wars, France had to borrow up to 260 million livres, and only thanks to Colbert's skill and frequent conversions, at the end of his career the amount of interest paid to state creditors was no more than at the beginning of the wars. Indirect taxes were greatly increased, despite the fact that they were made less profitable for tax farmers. The state needed large sums for bonuses to manufacturers and to encourage domestic industry.

Customs tariff

In 1683, France's maritime trade was third in Europe (after Holland and England).

Colonies

In 1671, the French colonies also came under Colbert's jurisdiction. Colonization of Madagascar was to be the main goal of the East India Company. At the same time, other colonies were founded for the north, the Levant, Senegal, and the Pyrenees. The inept leadership of the metropolis led to the failure of many of these undertakings, but still, by the end of Colbert’s career, France ranked first among European states in its colonies. It belonged to Canada, Louisiana (at that time it was a huge territory with undefined borders, embracing the entire Mississippi River basin), the West Indies Islands: Holy Cross, St. Bartholomew, Guadeloupe, Dominica, part of the island of Haiti, Tobago, etc.; Guiana in South America; a number of trading posts along the coast of Africa and on the island of Madagascar; in the East Indies, Pondicherry and Chandernagore (see French India). All these possessions were exploited exclusively in favor of the metropolis.

Communication routes

Colbert did a lot to improve communications. Under him, the construction of the huge Languedoc Canal was completed (engineer Riquet), begun in 1664 and completed in 1681. 650,000 livres were allocated annually for the maintenance and construction of new highways. The excellent condition of these roads was one of the most powerful means of complete state centralization.

Centralization of power

To achieve state centralization, Colbert transferred the main administrative power to the intendants, leaving only representation to the previous governors from the highest nobility. Parliaments were also greatly constrained. On February 24, 1673, an ordinance was issued, once and for all prohibiting parliaments from making any changes, restrictions, etc. when recording the king's orders. At the same time, all legislation and the administration of taxation passed entirely into the hands of the king and Colbert.

Regarding the clergy

Colbert waged a constant struggle with the clergy for the rights of the state. He tried in vain to reduce the number of the clergy; but he managed to achieve the abolition of 17 out of 44 less important church holidays.

Raising the Arts and Sciences

Colbert zealously tried to promote the advancement of the arts and sciences, and in 1667 he was elected a member of the French Academy. In 1663, he founded the Academy of Inscriptions and Fine Literature. He also encouraged scientific research and, at his suggestion, the king opened the French Academy of Sciences (1666), the Paris Observatory (1667), where Huygens and Cassini were invited, as well as the Academy of Architecture (1671). He enlarged the royal library, the botanical garden, established and equipped an observatory, introduced land demarcation and equipped expeditions of scientists, especially naturalists.

End of life

Devastating wars destroyed the fruits of his many years of labor, and at the end of his life he had to become convinced of the incompatibility of the economic system he had built with the foreign policy of Louis.

When he, broken by this failure, the fight with the Marquis of Louvois and being out of favor with the king, died on September 6, 1683, the people, embittered by heavy taxes, attacked the funeral procession, and military guards had to protect his coffin from the people’s anger.

Family

He was married (December 13, 1648) to Marie Charron, receiving 100,000 livres as a dowry from her family. They had nine children:

Jeanne-Marie (1650-1732);
Jean-Baptiste (1651-1690);
Jacques-Nicolas (1654-1707);
Antoine-Martin (1659-1689);
Henriette-Louise (1657-1733);
Jean-Jules-Armand (1664-1704);
Marie-Anne (1665-1750);
Louis (1667-1745);
Charles-Édouard (1670-1690).

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was born in 1619 in France. He was a famous French politician. He gained fame for numerous tax repressions and promising government reforms.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was born and spent his childhood in Reims. He grew up in a wealthy family, his father was a large merchant who had a network of shopping arcades.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert began to take his first steps in the political arena under the leadership of Mazarin. For some time he served as manager of this majestic cardinal.

At the end of the 1650s he served as intendant of finance. And in 1661 Colbert became Fouquet's successor. In 1669 he was appointed minister of state.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert combined such a high position with the work of the chief intendant of royal buildings, fine arts and factories. The working day of this politician lasted about 15 hours, as he tried to thoroughly understand all the issues and carefully study the situation.

Colbert was a very stubborn and cruel person. He tried to expose dishonest officials and those who refused to pay taxes. Criminals in this area were subject to enormous fines, sometimes reaching the death penalty.

In 1669, the judicial chamber was disbanded, however, Colbert, through his policies, managed to attract more than 110 million livres to the state treasury, in today's terms this amount is 650 million francs.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was involved in attracting foreign investment to the country. He is also one of the founders of the French navy. Under his leadership in France, the number of naval military vessels increased to 300 units.

Best of the day

Colbert imposed cruel taxes and levies on the population and entrepreneurs only because of the king’s wasteful wars. After the death of the politician, all his efforts were lost and considered unnecessary.

Despite the cruelty, Jean-Baptiste Colbert devoted a lot of time to education and art. In 1663 he founded the Academy of Inscriptions. And in 1667, under his leadership, the Academy of Sciences was organized.

Colbert believed that a full-fledged nation should have a rich stock of works of art and a rich library. It was he who initiated the expansion of the Royal Library, the construction of an observatory and the creation of a botanical garden.

Colbert, Jean-Baptiste

Jean-Baptiste Colbert

Jean-Baptiste Colbert(fr. Jean-Baptiste Colbert; August 29, 1619 - September 6, 1683) - French statesman.

The son of a wealthy merchant from Reims. Having gained access to the public service, he soon attracted the attention of Mazarin, who appointed him as his manager. In this post, Colbert defended the interests of his patron with such zeal and ingenuity that he zealously recommended him to Louis XIV. The young king appointed Colbert as intendant of finance.

In this position, Colbert discovered a number of abuses by the chief intendant Fouquet and became his de facto, although not nominal, successor in 1661; only eight years later he was minister of state. At the same time he was the chief intendant of the royal buildings, fine arts and factories. He worked up to fifteen hours every day, did not pay attention to the court world and the opinions of the world, went on foot to the king, etc.

Without knowing any hobbies, he, however, had a broad outlook, was accustomed to setting high goals for himself, but at the same time he was stubborn, harsh to the point of cruelty and, in general, imbued with the political and economic views of his time. First of all, he drew attention to abuses in financial matters.

A special judicial chamber began to investigate them and dealt with the perpetrators without the slightest leniency. Tax farmers, fiscal officials, etc. were imposed a huge fine; lesser criminals were sentenced to death. In 1662 and 1663, more than 70 million livres were taken from these financiers; when the aforementioned judicial chamber was dissolved in 1669, it managed to deliver 110 million livres to the treasury from 500 people.

Colbert's cruelty was to some extent counterbalanced by the reduction of the direct tax (taille) that fell on the lower classes of the population. Another measure was to reduce public debt. Some loans, under the pretext that the king was deceived during their conclusion, simply ceased to be repaid. At the same time, state lands, sometimes sold or given away centuries ago, were forcibly taken back - at their purchase price, without attention to the changed value of money.

Of the noble titles that had significant financial value in France, since their owners did not pay taxes, all acquired over the past 30 years were simply cashed. Colbert's rule was to ease the duties of the poor at the expense of the rich. As a result, he stood for indirect taxes paid by all subjects, while direct taxation concerned only the unprivileged. In 1664, Colbert managed to abolish internal customs between the northern and southern provinces.

In relation to industry and trade, from the very beginning he was a protectionist, a supporter of a system of patronage and control over industry and trade by the state. Colbert did not invent the system, which was later named after him Colbertism (see Mercantilism), but he consistently pursued it in all his endeavors. Its main goal was to increase exports, reduce imports, and as a result, increase the flow of money into the country.

All types of industry were organized into strict corporations, in which the type of preparation of goods was established by strict regulations with strict penalties for those who disobeyed. Foreign manufacturers and workers were attracted to the country at great expense, and although agriculture and cattle breeding suffered at first, the growth of industrial activity was undoubted.

Colbert is the creator of the French navy, since on the one hand he introduced sailor conscription, on the other, he increased the number of military ships to 300, and finally, he issued instructions for the fleet that were exemplary for that time. Recruitment for the fleet was carried out, however, using very cruel measures, which greatly contributed to the people's displeasure against Colbert; Due to the need for a crew for galleys, for some time all offenses were punished by exile to the galleys. Colbert's financial measures owed their harsh character to Louis's expensive wars, which required enormous expenses.

Because of these wars he had to make loans amounting to 260 million livres, and only thanks to the art of Colbert and frequent conversions, at the end of his career the amount of interest paid to state creditors was no more than at the beginning of the wars. But indirect taxes were greatly increased, and they were made less profitable for tax farmers. The state needed large sums for bonuses to manufacturers and to encourage domestic industry. In 1667, a new customs tariff was issued, increasing the duties levied on foreign goods to such an extent that they almost amounted to prohibition. Retaliation by other states has caused a number of violence.

Louis XIV, Philippe d'Orléans and Colbert visit the tapestry manufactory

In 1670, the pope was forced by force of arms to abolish the protective duties he had introduced, following the example of Colbert. The regulation of production in France itself was increasing. The export of raw products from France was prohibited, which dealt the final blow to agriculture. The introduction of silkworm culture and the introduction of improved breeds of livestock were unable to help improve agriculture. New branches of factory labor often turned out to be unprofitable and led to bankruptcies.

The Edict of 1673 imposed the death penalty for malicious bankrupts. But the French maritime trade flourished, which was completely insignificant before Colbert. Harbors were repaired and improved, and bonuses were awarded for the construction of new ships or for the purchase of ships abroad. Foreign ships were subject to duties when entering and leaving French harbors. These measures especially increased the trade of Marseille with the Levant, exports from France ceased to be a monopoly of the Dutch, the undivided ownership of Portuguese trade was taken away from the British, and the French merchant fleet became the third in the world. Colbert patronized various trading and maritime companies. The West India Company acquired a monopoly on trade with America. The French East India Company was founded, the court chambers and city magistrates were almost forcibly forced to join it, and the government gave it an interest-free loan of three million and a number of privileges (1664).

Colonization of Madagascar was to be the main goal of this society. At the same time, other colonies were founded for the north, the Levant, Senegal, and the Pyrenees. Inept leadership from the metropolis led to the failure of many of these undertakings, but still, by the end of Colbert’s career, France owned, if not the most flourishing, then the most extensive part of the European colonies. At the time of Colbert's death, France belonged to: Canada, Louisiana, that is, the entire Mississippi basin, from the West Indian Islands: Holy Cross, St. Bartholomew, Guadeloupe, S. Domingo, etc., the island of Tobago and part of Haiti; in South America - Guiana, part of the coast in northwestern Africa, in the East Indies: Pondicherry and Chandernagore. All these possessions were exploited exclusively for the benefit of the mother country (see Colonization).

Colbert did an enormous amount for communications. Under him, the huge Languedoc Canal was completed with the help of the engineer Riquet; begun in 1664, it was completed in 1681. The highways were given 650,000 livres annually. The excellent condition of these roads was one of the most powerful means of complete state centralization.

In order to achieve the latter, Colbert transferred the main administrative power to the intendants (q.v.), leaving only representation for the former governors (q.v.) from the highest nobility. Parliaments were also greatly constrained. On February 24, 1673, an ordinance was issued that once and for all prohibited parliaments from making any changes or restrictions, etc., when recording the king’s orders. At the same time, all legislation and the administration of taxation passed entirely into the hands of the king and Colbert.

The pedantic regulation and tyranny of the government in every detail of life greatly embittered the population against Colbert. In Holland, pamphlets against him were printed en masse, but they were unable to interfere with the direction of his policy. Acting on behalf of the king, Colbert, despite his plebeian origin, could easily break the opposition of the aristocracy, where it still made itself felt. Colbert waged a constant struggle with the clergy for the rights of the state. He tried in vain to reduce the number of the clergy; but he managed to achieve the abolition of 17 out of 44 less important church holidays.

Colbert zealously tried to promote the advancement of the arts and sciences. In 1663 he founded the Academy of Inscriptions, 3 years later - the Academy of Sciences, and in 1667, 1671 and 1672. - Academy of Plastic Arts and Music. He enlarged the royal library, the botanical garden, established and equipped an observatory, introduced land demarcation and equipped expeditions of scientists, especially naturalists. Devastating wars destroyed the fruits of his many years of labor, and at the end of his life he had to learn the incompatibility of the economic system with the foreign policy of Louis.

When he, broken by this failure, the fight with Louvois and being out of favor with the king, died on September 6, 1683, the people, embittered by heavy taxes, attacked the funeral procession, and military guards had to protect his coffin from the people’s anger.

At the request of Napoleon III, Clément began publishing: “Lettres, instructions et mémoires de Colbert” (I-VIII, P., 1868-1882).

French statesman, from 1660 - intendant of finance.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert born into a merchant family and was able to become an adviser to the king of France without being a nobleman...

Jean-Baptiste Colbert known for his reforms that contributed to the growth of trade and industry, improved navigation and the state of the colonies of France. In addition, he founded the Academy of Sciences in 1666, and the Academy of Plastic Sciences and Music in 1671.

“In France, with its strictly centralized power, the association of scientists, naturally, was not only created, but also paid for by the king. The sovereign, standing at the pinnacle of humanity, had to give dominance to reason - such is the line of enlightened despotism. The businesslike Colbert, who was creating a national industry in France, was not difficult to persuade to found the Academy of Sciences as a counterweight to the academies of literature and fine arts of Cardinal Mazarin. The outstanding minister of Louis XIV understood better than others that the state could not do without the help of science. Colbert addressed the circle that had once formed around Mersenne, and now headed by the keeper of the royal library, Pierre Carcavi, and in 1666 the Academy of Sciences was established in Paris. The French Academy had a dual function: to deal with the technical problems posed to the scientific world by the king, and at the same time to glorify him for his support of science. The Academy had a monopoly on the issuance of patents. Membership criteria met these conditions. Those who had won a name and position in science, or the authors of a discovery or invention, were nominated for election. The Statute of the Academy provided that each of its members pledged to devote himself to this science, while at the same time extending his research to everything that is useful and interesting. The rationalization of crafts through true scientific method was declared the key to progress and was recorded as Colbert's plan in the publication Description des Arts et Metiers (Description of Arts and Crafts). The famous professor Domenica Cassini was called to Paris from Bologna in 1669 with the permission of Pope Clement IX and the Senate: the rich and noble have always patronized astronomy. For the same purpose, the French government invited the Danish astronomer Ole Roemer to Paris (he would soon be able to determine the speed of light), gave a pension to the Polish scientist Jan Hevelius, the creator of the first detailed maps of the Moon, paying him a significant amount of money when his observatory in 1679 burned down. Danzig. In 1665, Louis XIV invited the greatest Dutch scientist to Paris as a member of the newly established Academy of Sciences, with a significant annual salary. Christian Huygens(1629-1695). He lived in Paris in the building of the Royal Library. Christian was born in The Hague, in the family of Constantin Huygens, secretary of the Prince of Orange, a wealthy and scientifically educated man. His father was his first teacher of music, mathematics and mechanics. In his 16th year he entered the University of Leiden to take a law course. The young man's extraordinary talent for mathematics was publicly identified Descartes. Europeans owe Huygens the improvement of pocket and wall clocks, the second pendulum of which he proposed to use to determine geographic longitude. Using his telescope with a 22-foot lens, Huygens discovered the rings of Saturn, which he could not see Galileo, or fog in Orion, streaks on Jupiter and Mars, etc. He made telescope lenses together with his older brother. The creator of the wave theory of light worked in Paris for about 20 years. The decision Huygens leaving France forever in 1685 was facilitated not only by deteriorating health, but also by the abolition by Louis XIV of the Edict of Nantes, which since 1598 had established agreement between Protestants and Catholics. This caused the eviction from France of about 200 thousand Huguenots, the most enlightened and hardworking citizens. Living in solitude, the remaining manuscripts Huygens bequeathed to the Leiden Library. The heavy hand of absolutism has not escaped science. The author of the “History of France,” Meseret Colbert, was first deprived of half of his pension, and when the scientist refused to correct parts in his work that the king and his all-powerful minister did not like, the elderly royal historiographer was deprived of the second half of the benefit.”

Pompeev Yu.A., Essays on the history of European scientific thought, St. Petersburg, “Abris”, 2003, p. 188-190.

Economic policy J-B. Colbert later received the name “Colbertism” (although, strictly speaking, the economic reforms he applied were known before him) and became a model for many European countries.

"In the church of St. Eustathia was buried by Colbert. The monument is worthy of his memory. He is depicted kneeling on a black marble tomb, in front of an angel holding an open book. Abundance and Religion, in the form of women, stand nearby. Great Minister, glory to France and Louis XIV! He served the king, trying to increase his income and strength; served the people, trying to enrich them through various profitable establishments and trade; served humanity, contributing to the rapid success of the sciences, useful arts and literature, not only in France, but also in other lands. The victorious Louis fleets, as if with the word: “Let it be!” created, the best French manufactories, the Languedoc Canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the ocean, famous trading societies: Indian, American - and almost all academies remained monuments of his unforgettable reign. We can safely say that Colbert was the first minister in the world ; I search in my thoughts and do not find another, neither so wise nor so happy in his undertakings (the second was, of course, a consequence of the first) - and the glory of his ministry glorified the reign of Louis XIV. Here is a subject worthy of the competition of all ministers! And each of them should have a portrait of the Colberts in their office so that they can look at it and not forget their great responsibilities. - But what monarch, what minister can please all the people? One of those dissatisfied with Colbert wrote on his statue: “Res ridenda nimis, vir inexorabilis orat!” That is, how funny it is to see an inexorable person praying! (He is represented on the tomb praying).”

Karamzin N.M. , Letters of a Russian traveler, M., “Soviet Russia”, 1983, p. 380-381.

“As soon as Colbert dies - autocratic Louis XIV will waste the remains of the treasury, sharply raise taxes, and milk the French bourgeoisie (not to mention the peasants) to the end. By the end of his long reign, the Paris Academy of Sciences will remain perhaps the only prosperous state institution in France, due to the comparative cheapness of scientific discoveries.”

Smirnov S.G., Annual rings of history, M., “Languages of Russian culture, 2000, pp. 206-207.

French statesman, de facto head of the government of Louis XVI (after 1665). The main position was controller of finance, but also held many other management positions. A supporter of the policy of mercantilism, he contributed to the development of the national fleet, trade and industry. laid the economic prerequisites for the formation of the “French colonial empire.” Under his patronage, the Academy of Inscriptions and Literature (1663), the Royal Academy of Sciences (1666), the Royal Academy of Music (1669), and the Royal Academy of Architecture (1671) were founded.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was born in 1619 in France. He was a famous French politician. He gained fame for numerous tax repressions and promising government reforms. He was born and spent his childhood in Reims, growing up in a wealthy family, his father was a large merchant who had a network of shopping arcades. Having gained access to the public service, he soon attracted the attention of Mazarin, who appointed him as his manager. In this post, Colbert defended the interests of his patron with such zeal and ingenuity that he zealously recommended him to Louis XVI. The young king appointed Colbert as intendant of finance. In this position, Colbert discovered a number of abuses by the chief intendant Fouquet and became his de facto, although not nominal, successor in 1661 (only eight years later he became minister of state). At the same time, he was the chief intendant of the royal buildings, fine arts and factories. He worked up to 15 hours every day, did not pay attention to the court world and the opinions of the world, went on foot to the king, etc. Having no hobbies, he, however, had a broad outlook, was accustomed to setting high goals for himself, but at the same time he was stubborn, harsh to the point of cruelty and, in general, imbued with the political and economic views of his time. First of all, he drew attention to abuses in financial matters.

In relation to industry and trade, from the very beginning he was a protectionist, a supporter of a system of patronage and control over industry and trade by the state. Colbert did not invent the system, which was later called Colbertism after him, but he consistently pursued it in all his endeavors. Its main goal was to increase exports, reduce imports, and as a result, increase the flow of money into the country.

All types of industry were organized into strict corporations, in which the type of preparation of goods was established by strict regulations with strict penalties for those who disobeyed. Foreign factories and workers were attracted to the country at great expense, and although agriculture and cattle breeding had already suffered at first, the growth of industrial activity was undoubted.

Colbert is considered the creator of the French navy, because. he, on the one hand, introduced sailor conscription, on the other, increased the number of military ships to 300, and, moreover, issued exemplary instructions for the fleet for that time. Recruitment for the fleet was carried out, however, using very cruel measures, which greatly contributed to the displeasure of the people; Due to the need for a crew for the galleys, for some time all offenses were punished by exile to the galleys. Colbert's financial measures owed their harsh character to Louis's expensive wars, which required enormous expenses.

Colbert also did a lot to improve communications. Under him, the construction of the huge Languedoc Canal was completed (engineer Riquet), begun in 1664 and completed in 1681. 650,000 livres were allocated annually for the maintenance and construction of new highways. The excellent condition of these roads was one of the powerful means of complete state centralization.

The pedantic regulation and tyranny of the government in every detail of life greatly embittered the population against Colbert. In Holland, pamphlets against him were printed en masse, but they were not able to interfere with the direction of his policy. Acting on behalf of the king, Colbert, despite his plebeian origin, could easily break the opposition of the aristocracy where it still made itself felt. Colbert waged a constant struggle with the clergy for the rights of the state. he carefully tried to reduce the number of clergy; but he managed to achieve the abolition of 17 out of 44 less important church holidays. 14

Colbert zealously tried to promote the advancement of the arts and sciences, and in 1667 he was elected a member of the French Academy. In 1663 he founded the Academy of Inscriptions and Fine Literature. He also encouraged scientific research and, at his suggestion, the king opened the French Academy of Sciences (1666), the Paris Observatory (1667), where Huygens and Cassini were invited, as well as the Academy of Architecture (1671).

He enlarged the royal library, the botanical garden, established and equipped an observatory, introduced land demarcation and equipped expeditions of scientists, especially naturalists.

When he, broken by this failure, the fight with Louvois and being out of favor with the king, died on September 6, 1683, the people, embittered by heavy taxes, attacked the funeral procession, and the military guard had to protect his coffin from the people’s anger.

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Biography. Jean-Baptiste Colbert - biography, photos of Jean Colbert