Nicolas Beaujon
Nicolas Beaujon | |
|---|---|
| File:Nicolas Beaujon 1784 portrait by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun.jpg Portrait of Nicolas Beaujon, 1784, by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun | |
| Born | 1718 Bordeaux, France |
| Died | 1786 Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, financier |
| Known for | Financial advisor to King Louis XV; proprietor of the Élysée Palace; founder of Hôpital Beaujon |
Nicolas Beaujon (1718–1786) was a distinguished French banker who served at the court of King Louis XV. His 1784 portrait was created by the artist Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun.
Early life and career beginnings
Originating from Bordeaux, Nicolas was born into two affluent merchant families, the Beaujons and the Delmestres. He inherited a tradition of wealth accumulation through strategic grain trading during periods of famine. His father, Jean, notably rescued Bordeaux on two occasions by purchasing and importing grain amid early 18th-century shortages. Building on this foundation, Nicolas increased his fortune by supplying grain during another famine era characterized by frequent scarcity due to poor governmental distribution systems.
Although accusations of profiteering were directed at him, Beaujon was officially exonerated. Pursuing greater prospects, he moved permanently to Paris. Contrary to rumors that he left Bordeaux due to unpopularity, these claims appear to be common criticisms aimed at affluent individuals. Upon marrying Louise Elisabeth Bontemps in 1753—granddaughter of Alexandre Bontemps, Louis XIV’s First Valet and Versailles Intendant—Beaujon sold his expansive Bordeaux residence.
Financial advisor to Louis XV
Once established in Paris, Beaujon rapidly rose to become one of France’s wealthiest financiers, significantly contributing funds to Louis XV’s administration. During the Seven Years' War, he provided millions annually, supporting the financially burdened French Navy’s operations. He also acquired the position of Farmer General, overseeing tax collection under the royal fiscal framework, which legally yielded considerable personal wealth. Around this period, he joined the Conseil d'Etat, further increasing his political clout.
Regarded as possibly the wealthiest private citizen in France with extensive financial networks, Beaujon acted as a personal banker for elite clients, including Madame du Barry, the last official mistress of Louis XV.
Proprietor of the Élysée Palace
In 1773, Beaujon bought the Hôtel d'Évreux in Paris (today known as the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French President) for one million livres. He commissioned architect Étienne-Louis Boullée to refurbish the structure and create an English-style garden. His art collection featured renowned works such as Holbein's "The Ambassadors" and Frans Hals' "Bohemian," elevating the palace’s status among Parisian elite residences. Beaujon retained ownership until his death, after which he bequeathed it to King Louis XVI. Subsequent occupants included Count Alfred de Vigny, Napoleon’s son known as the "King of Rome," Russian Tsar Alexander I, the Duke of Wellington, and Louis XVIII's nephew, the Duke of Berry. The Élysée became France’s Presidential Palace in 1848 and continues in that role.
Additionally, Beaujon engaged architect Girardin to construct a "folie" on his large estate north of the Champs-Élysées, extending toward what is now the Arc de Triomphe. This exotic retreat contained four apartments where he housed his mistresses, who reportedly coexisted harmoniously. After his wife passed away prematurely in 1769, Beaujon chose not to remarry, maintaining this lifestyle arrangement.
Some historians propose that Beaujon fathered an illegitimate daughter named Adelaïde de Praël de Surville with his mistress Louise Dalisse, a dancer at the Comédie-Française. Adelaïde wed Jean Frédéric Perregaux, who became the first president of the Banque de France under Napoleon. Their lineage intermarried with Empire military nobility but ultimately produced no heirs, concluding Beaujon’s family line. Notably, Alphonse’s son Edouard briefly married the celebrated "Lady of the Camelias," who inspired literary works such as "Camille" and "La Traviata," adding a final note of distinction to Beaujon’s heritage.
Founder of the Hôpital Beaujon
In 1784, Beaujon founded the Hôpital Beaujon on his own estate, originally intended to provide care for impoverished orphans. By 1795, during the Revolution, it transitioned into a general hospital and continues to operate today, having been relocated to the suburb of Clichy in Paris in 1935.
Family and legacy
Beaujon passed away in Paris in 1786 due to hemiplegia, most likely resulting from a stroke. He received a grand funeral and was laid to rest in the chapel of St. Nicholas of Roule, which he had established and had architect Girardin design. During the French Revolution, his tomb was violated and his remains dispersed. His considerable wealth was bequeathed to his wife’s niece, Charlotte Bontemps, Duchess de La Châtre and Marchioness de Jaucourt, whose lineage persists today, although they bear no direct biological connection to Beaujon.