Nicolas Chalon du Blé
Encyclopedia
Nicolas Chalon du Blé, marquis
d'Uxelles
and Cormatin
(24 January 1652 - 10 April 1730) was a French general and Foreign Minister. He was also created a knight and Marshal of France
by Louis XIV
, and was a diplomat for Louis XIV and Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
.
.
His appearance was described as tall and ruddy, with a huge wig and a hat pulled down over his eyes. He tended to hide his military orders and decorations under a plain, tightly-buttoned coat.
Second heir of Louis Chalon du Blé, marquis of Uxelles
(who died in 1658 at the siege of Gravelines
), and of Marie Le Bailleul (1626–1712), Nicolas Chalon du Blé was a protege of Camille le Tellier de Louvois
.
He was granted military leadership in 1688, during the Nine Years' War; he served as lieutenant general
at the siege of Philippsburg
, and was charged with holding the Place de Mayence fortress
in Mainz
, when the French army was forced to retreat.
He initially defended during the Siege of Mainz
against the Grand Alliance
, from 1 June to 8 September 1689, but had to surrender, and was publicly booed upon his return to Paris. He retained the favor of François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
and Louis XIV of France
, and was rewarded with the fief of Rougemont-le-Château
(1696), and he received the baton of Marshal, in 1703.
on 9 March 1710, but the peace negotiations were broken by Louis XIV at the end of the following June. Chalon du Blé again represented the king during the negotiation for the Peace of Utrecht in 1713.
He was one of the aristocratic architects of the polysynody system of government
, and obtained the first presidency of the Council of Foreign Affairs, (1715-1718) when the regency
of Philippe II began. This appointment was made against the better judgement of the Regent
, who held different foreign policy aims than Blé, and who had been the target of scorn from Blé's social circle. The Regent made the decision primarily to keep his enemy in plain view rather than in subterfuge against the government.
As president of the Council of Foreign Affairs, Blé tended to the popular, traditional French view of favoring Catholic Spain over Protestant Great Britain. This was in contradiction to the Regent, who admired Britain's parliamentary system
and open economy. When the Cellamare Conspiracy
came to light in 1718, however, Blé gave up antagonizing the Regent and "became polite, agreeable, and ate from his hand" in the words of Saint-Simon
. According to one source, the Regent even made Blé kiss the Treaty of the Triple Alliance
, which allied France with Britain and the Dutch Republic
against Spain.
Nicolas Chalon du Blé was one of the most notable homosexuals
of his age, known for his attraction to young valets as well as aspiring officers whom he "domesticated". He died in Paris in 1730.
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
d'Uxelles
Uxelles
Uxelles is a commune in the Jura dEpartment in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.- Demographics :As of the census of 1999, the population was 39.The estimate for 2004 was 55.- References :*...
and Cormatin
Cormatin
Cormatin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The village, on the Grosne river, is home to a beautiful castle and a small museum about World War I.-Geography:...
(24 January 1652 - 10 April 1730) was a French general and Foreign Minister. He was also created a knight and Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
by Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, and was a diplomat for Louis XIV and Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
.
Biography
Early years
du Blé was born at Chalon-sur-SaôneChalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
.
His appearance was described as tall and ruddy, with a huge wig and a hat pulled down over his eyes. He tended to hide his military orders and decorations under a plain, tightly-buttoned coat.
Second heir of Louis Chalon du Blé, marquis of Uxelles
Uxelles
Uxelles is a commune in the Jura dEpartment in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.- Demographics :As of the census of 1999, the population was 39.The estimate for 2004 was 55.- References :*...
(who died in 1658 at the siege of Gravelines
Gravelines
Gravelines is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies at the mouth of the river Aa 15 miles southwest of Dunkirk. There is a market in the town square on Saturdays. The "Arsenal" approached from the town square is home to an extensive and carefully displayed art collection....
), and of Marie Le Bailleul (1626–1712), Nicolas Chalon du Blé was a protege of Camille le Tellier de Louvois
Camille le Tellier de Louvois
Camille Le Tellier de Louvois was a French clergyman and member of several royal academies in the reign of Louis XIV of France. He was the fourth member elected to occupy seat 4 of the Académie française in 1706....
.
Military career
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
at the siege of Philippsburg
Philippsburg
Philippsburg is a town in Germany, in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.-History:Before 1632, Philippsburg was known as "Udenheim".The city was a possession of the Bishop of Speyer from 1371–1718...
, and was charged with holding the Place de Mayence fortress
Zitadelle Mainz
The Mainzer Zitadelle is situated at the fringe of the Old Town near Mainz Römisches Theater station. The fortress was constructed in 1660 and was an important part of the Fortress Mainz.-History:...
in Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, when the French army was forced to retreat.
He initially defended during the Siege of Mainz
Siege of Mainz
In the Siege of Mainz , from 14 April to 23 July 1793, a coalition of Prussia, Austria, and other German states besieged and captured Mainz from revolutionary French forces...
against the Grand Alliance
Grand Alliance
The Grand Alliance was a European coalition, consisting of Austria, Bavaria, Brandenburg, the Dutch Republic, England, the Holy Roman Empire, Ireland, the Palatinate of the Rhine, Portugal, Savoy, Saxony, Scotland, Spain and Sweden...
, from 1 June to 8 September 1689, but had to surrender, and was publicly booed upon his return to Paris. He retained the favor of François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV. Louvois and his father, Michel le Tellier, would increase the French Army to 400,000 soldiers, an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713...
and Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, and was rewarded with the fief of Rougemont-le-Château
Rougemont-le-Château
Rougemont-le-Château is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France.-External links:*...
(1696), and he received the baton of Marshal, in 1703.
Diplomatic career
He took part as a diplomat at the preliminary conferences of GeertruidenbergGeertruidenberg
Geertruidenberg is a city and municipality in the province North Brabant in the south of the Netherlands. The city, named after Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, received city rights in 1213 from the count of Holland. The fortified city prospered until the 15th century.Today, the municipality of...
on 9 March 1710, but the peace negotiations were broken by Louis XIV at the end of the following June. Chalon du Blé again represented the king during the negotiation for the Peace of Utrecht in 1713.
He was one of the aristocratic architects of the polysynody system of government
Polysynody
Polysynody was the system of government in use in France between 1715 and 1718 and in which each minister was replaced by a council....
, and obtained the first presidency of the Council of Foreign Affairs, (1715-1718) when the regency
Régence
The Régence is the period in French history between 1715 and 1723, when King Louis XV was a minor and the land was governed by a Regent, Philippe d'Orléans, the nephew of Louis XIV of France....
of Philippe II began. This appointment was made against the better judgement of the Regent
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
, who held different foreign policy aims than Blé, and who had been the target of scorn from Blé's social circle. The Regent made the decision primarily to keep his enemy in plain view rather than in subterfuge against the government.
As president of the Council of Foreign Affairs, Blé tended to the popular, traditional French view of favoring Catholic Spain over Protestant Great Britain. This was in contradiction to the Regent, who admired Britain's parliamentary system
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
and open economy. When the Cellamare Conspiracy
Cellamare Conspiracy
The Cellamare Conspiracy of 1718 was a conspiracy against the then Regent of France, Philippe d'Orléans . "Created" in Spain, it was the brainchild of Antonio del Giudice, Prince of Cellamare.-Background and Plot:...
came to light in 1718, however, Blé gave up antagonizing the Regent and "became polite, agreeable, and ate from his hand" in the words of Saint-Simon
Louis de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon
Louis de Rouvroy commonly known as Saint-Simon was a French soldier, diplomatist and writer of memoirs, was born in Paris...
. According to one source, the Regent even made Blé kiss the Treaty of the Triple Alliance
Triple Alliance (1717)
The Triple Alliance was a treaty between the Dutch Republic, France and Great Britain, against Spain, attempting to maintain the agreement of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. The three states were concerned about Spain becoming a superpower in Europe. As a result of this militarisation took place,...
, which allied France with Britain and the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
against Spain.
Nicolas Chalon du Blé was one of the most notable homosexuals
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
of his age, known for his attraction to young valets as well as aspiring officers whom he "domesticated". He died in Paris in 1730.