Bernard-François, marquis de Chauvelin
Encyclopedia
Bernard-François, marquis de Chauvelin (Paris 29 November 1766 – 9 April 1832) was a French
nobleman and liberal
.
Born in Paris, the scion of an illustrious family, Chauvelin initially followed his father François Claude Chauvelin
as Master of the King's Wardrobe to Louis XVI. However, despite being of noble birth, he had been raised with liberal ideas and welcomed the French Revolution
. He fought in the army of the Comte de Rochambeau.
In February 1792, he was married to Herminie Felicienne Joséphine Tavernier-Boullongne de Magnanville and was made assistant ("Ambassador's Cloak") to Talleyrand, ambassador
to the Court of St. James's
. His role in London was to persuade England to remain neutral in the war which was about to break out between France and the King of Bohemia and Hungary. Chauvelin was well received at first and obtained British
neutrality, but after 10 August 1792, he was no longer officially recognized at court, and following the execution of Louis XVI in January, he was told to get out of England by 1 February 1793, as the British prepared for war.
On returning to Paris
, Chauvelin was sent to Florence
as ambassador, but his tenure was unsuccessful, as he was unable to convince the Duke to recognize the new republic. Chauvelin returned to Paris and was jailed as a suspect. He was released after Robespierre's
arrest in the Thermidorean Reaction (27 July 1794).
In 1800, he was elected to the 'Tribunat' and on 14 June 1804, he was elected to the legislature. That year, Napoleon Bonaparte also appointed him prefect
of Lys
. Under Napoleon, he became a member of the Council of State, and from 1812 to 1814, governed Catalonia
as Intendant-General, being charged to win over the Catalonians to Joseph Bonaparte
, his brother's appointee as King of Spain.
In 1816, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies
, and spoke in favor of liberty of the press and extension of the franchise. Though he was again elected a deputy in 1827, he played no further part in public affairs, finally resigning in 1829. After his resignation, Chauvelin withdrew to the Abbey of Cîteaux
in Beaune
, he died three years in Paris later from cholera
.
and its sequels, the Scarlet Pimpernel's arch enemy throughout most of the series is Citizen Chauvelin
, who is loosely based on the real Marquis de Chauvelin. Although there are some similarities between the real and fictional Chauvelins, Orczy's depiction of Chauvelin's career, personality, and history is highly distorted.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
nobleman and liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
.
Born in Paris, the scion of an illustrious family, Chauvelin initially followed his father François Claude Chauvelin
François Claude Chauvelin
François Claude Bernard Louis de Chauvelin , marquis de Chauvelin, was a French soldier, diplomat and writer. A correspondent of Voltaire, one of his three children with his wife Agnés Thérèse Mazade d'Argeville was Bernard-François, marquis de Chauvelin.-Life:He served in Italy and Flanders and...
as Master of the King's Wardrobe to Louis XVI. However, despite being of noble birth, he had been raised with liberal ideas and welcomed the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He fought in the army of the Comte de Rochambeau.
In February 1792, he was married to Herminie Felicienne Joséphine Tavernier-Boullongne de Magnanville and was made assistant ("Ambassador's Cloak") to Talleyrand, ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Court of St. James's
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
. His role in London was to persuade England to remain neutral in the war which was about to break out between France and the King of Bohemia and Hungary. Chauvelin was well received at first and obtained British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
neutrality, but after 10 August 1792, he was no longer officially recognized at court, and following the execution of Louis XVI in January, he was told to get out of England by 1 February 1793, as the British prepared for war.
On returning to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Chauvelin was sent to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
as ambassador, but his tenure was unsuccessful, as he was unable to convince the Duke to recognize the new republic. Chauvelin returned to Paris and was jailed as a suspect. He was released after Robespierre's
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre is one of the best-known and most influential figures of the French Revolution. He largely dominated the Committee of Public Safety and was instrumental in the period of the Revolution commonly known as the Reign of Terror, which ended with his...
arrest in the Thermidorean Reaction (27 July 1794).
In 1800, he was elected to the 'Tribunat' and on 14 June 1804, he was elected to the legislature. That year, Napoleon Bonaparte also appointed him prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of Lys
Lys (département)
Lys is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium. It is named after the river Lys. It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Southern Netherlands were annexed by France. Before its occupation, its territory was part of the county of Flanders.Its capital was Bruges...
. Under Napoleon, he became a member of the Council of State, and from 1812 to 1814, governed Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
as Intendant-General, being charged to win over the Catalonians to Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
, his brother's appointee as King of Spain.
In 1816, he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of deputies is the name given to a legislative body such as the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or can refer to a unicameral legislature.-Description:...
, and spoke in favor of liberty of the press and extension of the franchise. Though he was again elected a deputy in 1827, he played no further part in public affairs, finally resigning in 1829. After his resignation, Chauvelin withdrew to the Abbey of Cîteaux
Cîteaux Abbey
Cîteaux Abbey is a Roman Catholic abbey located in Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux, south of Dijon, France. Today it belongs to the Trappists, or Cistercians of the Strict Observance . The Cistercian order takes its name from this mother house of Cîteaux, earlier Cisteaux, near Nuits-Saint-Georges...
in Beaune
Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Paris and Geneva.Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France...
, he died three years in Paris later from cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
.
Chauvelin and The Scarlet Pimpernel
In Baroness Emmuska Orczy’s novel The Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The story is a precursor to the "disguised superhero" tales such as Zorro and Batman....
and its sequels, the Scarlet Pimpernel's arch enemy throughout most of the series is Citizen Chauvelin
Citizen Chauvelin
Citizen Armand Chauvelin is the villain in Baroness Emmuska Orczy's classic novel The Scarlet Pimpernel and the various plays and movies derived from the work....
, who is loosely based on the real Marquis de Chauvelin. Although there are some similarities between the real and fictional Chauvelins, Orczy's depiction of Chauvelin's career, personality, and history is highly distorted.