Joseph Alexandre Pierre, vicomte de Ségur
Encyclopedia
Joseph Alexandre Pierre, vicomte de Ségur (14 April 1756 - 27 July 1805) was a French
poet
, songwriter
and playwright
.
, as the son of Philippe Henri, marquis de Ségur
and Louise Anne Madeleine de Vernon. In reality, he was the son of the best friend of his father, Pierre Victor, baron de Besenval de Brünstatt, who acquired a certain notority under the French Revolution
. He was Colonel
of the Regiment
s of Noailles and Lorraine, and of the Dragoon
s of Ségur during the Ancient Regime.
Licentious by vocation, the vicomte de Ségue spent his existence composing poems, song
s and comedies
. In a way of perpetuating the tradition instituted by his birth, he had himself many adulterine children, to whom he gave his name and whose education he financed.
He made build to host his mistress
Louise Julie Careau a house at the rue Chantereine, by the architect
Perrard de Montreuil, a house that later hosted the loves of Joséphine
and Bonaparte and became known as "Maison du 18 brumaire". He had two sons from her, Alexandre-Philippe de Ségur (1781 - 10 February 1803), unmarried and without issue, and Alexandre, vicomte de Ségur (1793 - 28 April 1864), who married Caroline Mathieu de Mauvières (- Paris, 1855), and had one daughter, Marie-Renée Claude de Ségur (12 February 1824 - 1 November 1903), who married Auguste de Gramont, duc de Lesparre (1 July 1820 - 4 September 1877), and had three daughters.
In 1789 he was elected a Deputy
for the Nobility
of Paris
for the Estates General. He remained loyal to the King and the monarchy, but participated very little in the debates. In 1790, he retired from political life and occupied himself of literature
, publishing drama
s and comedies.
In 1793 he was imprisoned duinr the Terror
in the sordid gaols of Saint-Lazare, as were André Chénier
and other artist
s of the time. A small actor that he had well known, Charles de La Buissière, who managed to get himself employed at the bureau of the Committee for Public Health, destroyed his accusation file along with the ones of countless personalities of the parisian scene who owed him their lives.
From 1796 to the end of 1801, he participated in the activities of the singing society of the Diners du Vaudeville, where he figured as "Ségur jeune", along with his brother Louis-Philippe de Ségur, who figured there as "Ségur ainé".
The vicomte de Ségur was not, however, destined to survive long to the end of a century in which he was perfectly emblematic. He deceased at the age of 48 years, in the arms of Mademoiselle d'Avaux, his mistress after twelve years, while he was recovering from a chest illness at Bagnères-de-Bigorre
. His last posthumous publication, the memories of the baron de Besenval, his putative father, provoked a scandal in the good society of the time.
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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.
Life
He was born in ParisParis
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...
, as the son of Philippe Henri, marquis de Ségur
Philippe Henri, marquis de Ségur
Philippe Henri, marquis de Ségur was a marshal of France.Born in Paris, son of Henri François, comte de Ségur, and his wife Philippe Angélique de Froissy, he was appointed to the command of an infantry regiment at eighteen, and served under his father in Italy and Bohemia...
and Louise Anne Madeleine de Vernon. In reality, he was the son of the best friend of his father, Pierre Victor, baron de Besenval de Brünstatt, who acquired a certain notority under 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 was Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s of Noailles and Lorraine, and of the Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s of Ségur during the Ancient Regime.
Licentious by vocation, the vicomte de Ségue spent his existence composing poems, song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s and comedies
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
. In a way of perpetuating the tradition instituted by his birth, he had himself many adulterine children, to whom he gave his name and whose education he financed.
He made build to host his mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
Louise Julie Careau a house at the rue Chantereine, by the architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Perrard de Montreuil, a house that later hosted the loves of Joséphine
Joséphine de Beauharnais
Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoléon Bonaparte, and thus the first Empress of the French. Her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais had been guillotined during the Reign of Terror, and she had been imprisoned in the Carmes prison until her release five days after Alexandre's...
and Bonaparte and became known as "Maison du 18 brumaire". He had two sons from her, Alexandre-Philippe de Ségur (1781 - 10 February 1803), unmarried and without issue, and Alexandre, vicomte de Ségur (1793 - 28 April 1864), who married Caroline Mathieu de Mauvières (- Paris, 1855), and had one daughter, Marie-Renée Claude de Ségur (12 February 1824 - 1 November 1903), who married Auguste de Gramont, duc de Lesparre (1 July 1820 - 4 September 1877), and had three daughters.
In 1789 he was elected a Deputy
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
for the Nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
of 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...
for the Estates General. He remained loyal to the King and the monarchy, but participated very little in the debates. In 1790, he retired from political life and occupied himself of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, publishing drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
s and comedies.
In 1793 he was imprisoned duinr the Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
in the sordid gaols of Saint-Lazare, as were André Chénier
André Chénier
André Marie Chénier was a French poet, associated with the events of the French Revolution of which he was a victim. His sensual, emotive poetry marks him as one of the precursors of the Romantic movement...
and other artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s of the time. A small actor that he had well known, Charles de La Buissière, who managed to get himself employed at the bureau of the Committee for Public Health, destroyed his accusation file along with the ones of countless personalities of the parisian scene who owed him their lives.
From 1796 to the end of 1801, he participated in the activities of the singing society of the Diners du Vaudeville, where he figured as "Ségur jeune", along with his brother Louis-Philippe de Ségur, who figured there as "Ségur ainé".
The vicomte de Ségur was not, however, destined to survive long to the end of a century in which he was perfectly emblematic. He deceased at the age of 48 years, in the arms of Mademoiselle d'Avaux, his mistress after twelve years, while he was recovering from a chest illness at Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a French commune in the south-western Hautes-Pyrénées department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Notable people:Bagnères-de-Bigorre was the birthplace of:*Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke...
. His last posthumous publication, the memories of the baron de Besenval, his putative father, provoked a scandal in the good society of the time.
External links
- His theatre plays and their performances in the site CÉSAR
- The tomb of Joseph-Alexandre de Ségur atTrébons (Hautes-Pyrénées)
- Textes en ligne: C'est le même, 1798, L'opéra comique, 1799, Le fou par amour, 1791, Le retour du mari, 1792, Les vieux fous, 1796.