Jean Gilbert Victor Fialin, duc de Persigny
Encyclopedia
Jean Gilbert Victor Fialin, duc de Persigny (January 11, 1808 - January 12, 1872) was a French
statesman
of the Second French Empire
.
Fialin was born at Saint-Germain-Lespinasse
(Loire
), the son of a receiver of taxes, and was educated at Limoges
. He entered the cavalry school at Saumur
in 1826, becoming maréchal des logis in the 4th Hussars two years later. The role played by his regiment in the July Revolution
of 1830 was regarded as insubordination
, and Fialin was dismissed from the army. He became a journalist, and in 1833 became a strong Bonapartist
, assuming the title of vicomte de Persigny, said to be dormant in his family.
He was involved in the abortive Bonapartist coups at Strasbourg
in 1836 and at Boulogne-sur-Mer
in 1840. After the second, he was arrested and condemned to twenty years' imprisonment in a fortress, commuted to mild detention at Versailles. There he wrote a book to prove that the Pyramids were built to prevent the Nile
from silting up. This was published in 1845 under the title, De la destination et de l'utilité permanente des Pyramides.
During the revolution of 1848, he was arrested by the provisional government. On his release took a prominent part in securing the election of Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III
) to the presidency. With Morny and the marshal Saint Arnaud
he plotted the restoration of the empire
, and was a devoted adherent of Napoleon III. He succeeded Morny as Minister of the Interior
in January 1852, and later in the year became senator. He resigned in 1854, and was ambassador in London the next year, which he occupied with a short interval (1858–1859) until 1860, when he resumed the portfolio of the interior. But the growing influence of his rival Rouher
provoked his resignation in 1863, when he received the title of duke
.
A more dangerous enemy than Rouher was the empress Eugénie, whose marriage he had opposed and whose presence in the council chamber he deprecated in a memorandum which fell into the empress' hands. He sought in vain to see Napoleon before the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870, and the breach was further widened when master and servant were in exile. Persigny returned to France in 1871, and died at Nice
on 12 January 1872.
A devoted, even fanatical follower of Louis-Napoleon, whose service dated back to the future Emperor's wilderness years of exile and imprisonment, Persigny always stood out among the Emperor's motley political entourage as the most passionate ideologue of Bonapartism
. Hence the Emperor's famous wry comment: "The Empress is a Legitimist, Morny is an Orleanist
, Prince Napoleon is a Republican
, and I myself am a Socialist. There is only one Bonapartist, Persigny - and he is mad!"
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
of the Second French Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
.
Fialin was born at Saint-Germain-Lespinasse
Saint-Germain-Lespinasse
Saint-Germain-Lespinasse is a commune in the Loire department in central France.-References:*...
(Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
), the son of a receiver of taxes, and was educated at Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
. He entered the cavalry school at Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
in 1826, becoming maréchal des logis in the 4th Hussars two years later. The role played by his regiment in the July Revolution
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
of 1830 was regarded as insubordination
Insubordination
Insubordination is the act of willfully disobeying an authority. Refusing to perform an action that is unethical or illegal is not insubordination; neither is refusing to perform an action that is not within the scope of authority of the person issuing the order.Insubordination is typically a...
, and Fialin was dismissed from the army. He became a journalist, and in 1833 became a strong Bonapartist
Bonapartism
Bonapartism is often defined as a political expression in the vocabulary of Marxism and Leninism, deriving from the career of Napoleon Bonaparte. Karl Marx was a student of Jacobinism and the French Revolution as well as a contemporary critic of the Second Republic and Second Empire...
, assuming the title of vicomte de Persigny, said to be dormant in his family.
He was involved in the abortive Bonapartist coups at Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
in 1836 and at Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer
-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
in 1840. After the second, he was arrested and condemned to twenty years' imprisonment in a fortress, commuted to mild detention at Versailles. There he wrote a book to prove that the Pyramids were built to prevent the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
from silting up. This was published in 1845 under the title, De la destination et de l'utilité permanente des Pyramides.
During the revolution of 1848, he was arrested by the provisional government. On his release took a prominent part in securing the election of Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
) to the presidency. With Morny and the marshal Saint Arnaud
Jacques Leroy de Saint Arnaud
Armand-Jacques Leroy de Saint-Arnaud was a French soldier and Marshal of France during the 19th century...
he plotted the restoration of the empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
, and was a devoted adherent of Napoleon III. He succeeded Morny as Minister of the Interior
Minister of the Interior (France)
The Minister of the Interior in France is one of the most important governmental cabinet positions, responsible for the following:* The general interior security of the country, with respect to criminal acts or natural catastrophes...
in January 1852, and later in the year became senator. He resigned in 1854, and was ambassador in London the next year, which he occupied with a short interval (1858–1859) until 1860, when he resumed the portfolio of the interior. But the growing influence of his rival Rouher
Eugène Rouher
Eugène Rouher was a French statesman of the Second Empire.He was born at Riom , where he practised law after taking his degree in Paris in 1835. In 1846 he sought election to the Chamber of Deputies as an official candidate of the Guizot ministry...
provoked his resignation in 1863, when he received the title of duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
.
A more dangerous enemy than Rouher was the empress Eugénie, whose marriage he had opposed and whose presence in the council chamber he deprecated in a memorandum which fell into the empress' hands. He sought in vain to see Napoleon before the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1870, and the breach was further widened when master and servant were in exile. Persigny returned to France in 1871, and died at Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
on 12 January 1872.
A devoted, even fanatical follower of Louis-Napoleon, whose service dated back to the future Emperor's wilderness years of exile and imprisonment, Persigny always stood out among the Emperor's motley political entourage as the most passionate ideologue of Bonapartism
Bonapartism
Bonapartism is often defined as a political expression in the vocabulary of Marxism and Leninism, deriving from the career of Napoleon Bonaparte. Karl Marx was a student of Jacobinism and the French Revolution as well as a contemporary critic of the Second Republic and Second Empire...
. Hence the Emperor's famous wry comment: "The Empress is a Legitimist, Morny is an Orleanist
Orléanist
The Orléanists were a French right-wing/center-right party which arose out of the French Revolution. It governed France 1830-1848 in the "July Monarchy" of king Louis Philippe. It is generally seen as a transitional period dominated by the bourgeoisie and the conservative Orleanist doctrine in...
, Prince Napoleon is a Republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
, and I myself am a Socialist. There is only one Bonapartist, Persigny - and he is mad!"
Further reading
- Mémoires du duc de Persigny (2nd ed., 1896), edited by Henri de Laire d'Espagny, his former secretary.
- Le duc de Persigny et les doctrines de l'empire (1865), a eulogistic life by Persigny and Joseph Delaroa.
- L'empire libéral, études, récits, souvenirs (1895), by Emile Ollivier.