Charles Joseph, comte Bresson
Encyclopedia
Charles-Joseph, comte Bresson (Epinal
, 27 March 1798 - Naples, 2 November 1847) was a French diplomat. He won the confidence of Louis-Philippe of France
thanks to his successful marriage negotiations for three of his children, the Prince royal, princess Louise d'Orléans and the duc de Montpensier. He died by suicide.
, put him in charge of a mission to Colombia
.
In 1830 he was ordered to notify Switzerland of Louis-Philippe's accession to the French throne, before becoming first secretary to the French embassy in London under Talleyrand. He was one of two diplomats given the task of forcing the Belgian government to accept the decisions of the London Conference, a task he acquitted well. To the king's satisfaction, he then led the marriage negotiations as to a match between the new king of Belgium Leopold I
with princess Louise d'Orléans. That success brought him to the height of favour with Louis-Philippe. During this era he also became the lover of the Belgian ambassador's wife, the comtesse Le Hon
, allegedly fathering her son Léopold (born 1832).
In 1833, he was made chargé d'affaires in Berlin
with the title of minister plenipotentiary. He re-established relations (with strong compromies) between France and Prussia, ensuring the latter did not undertake any closer rapprochement with Russia. On 10 November 1834 he was appointed France's Foreign Minister in the temporary Hugues-Bernard Maret ministry, but he did not even have the time to reach Paris before that ministry fell. He thus remained in Berlin to arrange the 1837 marriage of the Prince royal to princess Helen of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, of a family allied to the Prussian royal family. After this diplomatic success, Louis-Philippe made him a peer of France on 6 May 1839. In the Chambre des pairs Bresson strongly defended the Paris fortifications project of 1841 in which the king took particular interest.
He was then made ambassador to Madrid and played a major role in the difficult marriage negotiations to marry Isabella II of Spain
to her cousin the duke of Cadiz (which occurred on 10 October 1846) and the duke of Montpensier to princess Luisa Fernanda
, a sister of Isabella II. During these negotiations France's interests were vigorously opposed to those of the July Monarchy
's erstwhile ally the United Kingdom
, and so count Bresson had to thwart sometimes disloyal manoeuvres by Sir Henry Bulwer, the British ambassador to Spain. In reward for this success, Bresson's son was made a grandee of Spain, 1st class, with the title of 'duke of Sainte-Isabelle'. Bresson himself was recalled to France in 1847, spending a few weeks in London before being appointed ambassador to Naples, a post he had only just taken up when he cut his throat with a razor and died, probably due to domestic troubles.
Épinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
, 27 March 1798 - Naples, 2 November 1847) was a French diplomat. He won the confidence of Louis-Philippe of France
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
thanks to his successful marriage negotiations for three of his children, the Prince royal, princess Louise d'Orléans and the duc de Montpensier. He died by suicide.
Life
The son of a chef de division in the ministry of foreign affairs, Bresson soon became destined for a diplomatic career. Hyde de Neuville, ministre de la Marine under Charles XCharles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
, put him in charge of a mission to Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
In 1830 he was ordered to notify Switzerland of Louis-Philippe's accession to the French throne, before becoming first secretary to the French embassy in London under Talleyrand. He was one of two diplomats given the task of forcing the Belgian government to accept the decisions of the London Conference, a task he acquitted well. To the king's satisfaction, he then led the marriage negotiations as to a match between the new king of Belgium Leopold I
Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
with princess Louise d'Orléans. That success brought him to the height of favour with Louis-Philippe. During this era he also became the lover of the Belgian ambassador's wife, the comtesse Le Hon
Fanny Mosselman du Chenoy
Françoise Zoé Mathilde Mosselman , known as Fanny Mosselman, was a Belgian noblewoman, notable as the maîtresse en titre of the duke Charles de Morny....
, allegedly fathering her son Léopold (born 1832).
In 1833, he was made chargé d'affaires in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with the title of minister plenipotentiary. He re-established relations (with strong compromies) between France and Prussia, ensuring the latter did not undertake any closer rapprochement with Russia. On 10 November 1834 he was appointed France's Foreign Minister in the temporary Hugues-Bernard Maret ministry, but he did not even have the time to reach Paris before that ministry fell. He thus remained in Berlin to arrange the 1837 marriage of the Prince royal to princess Helen of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Helen of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a French Crown Princess after her marriage in 1837 to the eldest son of Louis Philippe I, Ferdinand Philippe of Orléans....
, of a family allied to the Prussian royal family. After this diplomatic success, Louis-Philippe made him a peer of France on 6 May 1839. In the Chambre des pairs Bresson strongly defended the Paris fortifications project of 1841 in which the king took particular interest.
He was then made ambassador to Madrid and played a major role in the difficult marriage negotiations to marry Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
to her cousin the duke of Cadiz (which occurred on 10 October 1846) and the duke of Montpensier to princess Luisa Fernanda
Infanta Luisa Fernanda, Duchess of Montpensier
Infanta María Luisa Fernanda of Spain was Infanta of Spain and Duchess of Montpensier. She was the youngest daughter of king Ferdinand VII of Spain and his fourth wife Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, the queen-regent, who was also his niece.-Biography:-Heiress-presumptive:When her elder...
, a sister of Isabella II. During these negotiations France's interests were vigorously opposed to those of the July Monarchy
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
's erstwhile ally the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and so count Bresson had to thwart sometimes disloyal manoeuvres by Sir Henry Bulwer, the British ambassador to Spain. In reward for this success, Bresson's son was made a grandee of Spain, 1st class, with the title of 'duke of Sainte-Isabelle'. Bresson himself was recalled to France in 1847, spending a few weeks in London before being appointed ambassador to Naples, a post he had only just taken up when he cut his throat with a razor and died, probably due to domestic troubles.