François Laborde de Méreville
François Louis Jean-Joseph de Laborde | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1761 |
| Died | 1801 |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, politician |
| Known for | Representative of the Third Estate at the 1789 Estates General; proprietor of the château de Méréville; participation in American Revolutionary War |
François Louis Jean-Joseph de Laborde (1761–1801) was a notable French financier, representative of the Third Estate at the 1789 Estates General, and proprietor of the château de Méréville located in Beauce, an inheritance from his father.
Life
His father, Jean-Joseph de Laborde, ranked among the most affluent bankers during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI. His mother, Rosalie de Nettine, descended from a banking lineage connected with the Austrian Imperial Court. François’s brother, Édouard Jean Joseph, was known for his explorations. François participated in the American Revolutionary War under the command of Rochambeau and maintained familial ties with influential figures such as La Fayette.
He initially served as procurator general under his father before residing in Saint-Domingue. In 1789, he became a member of the Committee of Thirty tasked with organizing elections to the Estates General and was subsequently elected as deputy representing the third estate for Étampes. He maintained both personal and political connections with Mademoiselle Cabarrus, who later became the Marquise of Fontenay.
In 1792, he acquired a portion of the esteemed Orléans Collection from banker Édouard de Walckiers for close to one million francs. This collection was later sold in London in 1798 for £43,500 to the art dealer Michael Bryan. Collaborating with bankers Walter Boyd and William Ker of Boyd, Ker & Cie, he utilized their political influence to oversee financial networks amid the Revolutionary era, impacting members of the French Convention and officials in Paris.
On 10 August 1792, de Laborde took part in a covert counter-revolutionary scheme alongside his uncle, former minister Charles Alexandre de Calonne. He exerted influence over governmental appointments and funded opposition factions before relocating to London after March 1793. His father was executed by guillotine during this period; his mother survived. In 1795, despite efforts by his mother, he was unable to secure removal from the émigré list. He passed away in London in 1801.
Sources
- « François Louis Jean-Joseph de Laborde de Méréville », in Adolphe Robert and Gaston Cougny, Dictionnaire des parlementaires français, Edgar Bourloton, 1889-1891
- Fiche on Assemblée nationale