Name Bertrand Molleville | Role Politician | |
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Died October 19, 1818, Paris, France | ||
Comte Antoine François Bertrand de Molleville (25 October 1744, Toulouse – 19 October 1818, Paris) was a French politician.
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He was considered a fiery partisan of royalty, and surnamed the enfant terrible of the monarchy. He was first conseiller to the Parlement de Toulouse in 1766, then maîtres des requêtes in 1774 and finally Intendant de Bretagne, in 1784. Bertrand de Molleville was then charged in 1788 with the difficult task of dissolving the Parliament of Brittany. Favourable to the gathering of the estates general in 1789, he advised Louis XVI after the dissolution of the Assemblée. Made ministre de la Marine et des Colonies from 1790 to 1792, he organised the mass emigration of officers. Due to numerous denunciations, he retired from his functions and became chief of the royal secret police. Before and after the 10 August 1792, he tried to organise an escape for the king, but he was eventually forced to resolve to flee to England himself. Despite his dedication and his friendship for, he was one of his most untalented servants.
Youth
Antoine François de Bertrand de Molleville was received as a conseiller to the Parlement de Toulouse in 1766.
His secretary was Bernard François Balssa, father of Honoré de Balzac, still in de Moleville's service in 1771.
Antoine François de Bertrand de Molleville served his apprentice in the school of minister Maupeou. He was maîtres des requêtes in 1774.
In 1775 Bertrand de Molleville defended the memoir of his ancestor chancellor Jean Bertrand, seigneur de Frazin, attacked by Condorcet in his Éloge du chancelier de L'Hôpital, but he only published this apology after having communicated it to Condorcet lui-même.
Antoine François de Bertrand de Molleville was made Intendant de Bretagne in 1784.
After the day of 10 August 1792
On his death in 1818 he was buried in the church of Ponsan-Soubiran.