| Jean-Baptiste Colbert | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Character Information | |
| Starring: | Steve Cumyn |
| Season(s): | 1, 2, 3 |
| Episode Count: | 30 |
| First Episode: | Welcome To Versailles |
| Last Episode: | The Legacy |
| Names | |
| Full Name: | Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay |
| Title(s): | - Marquis de Seignelay - Lord of Vandières and Cernay |
| Nickname(s): | Le Grand Colbert |
| Biographical Information | |
| Predecessor: | Cardinal Mazarin Nicolas Fouquet |
| Next In Line: | François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay |
| Age: | 48-50 (Season One) 51-60 (Season Two) |
| Born: | August 29, 1619 |
| Dies: | September 6, 1683 |
| Cause of Death: | Illness |
| Birthplace: | Reims, France |
| Originally From: | France |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Physical Description | |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Gender: | Male |
| Eye Colour: | Blue |
| Hair Colour: | Black |
| Relationships | |
| Spouse: | Marie Charron |
| Children: | Jean-Baptiste Jacques Nicolas |
| Family: | Isabelle † (niece) |
| Affiliations: | Kingdom of France |
Jean-Baptiste Colbert was a politician who served as Louis XIV's Comptroller-General of Finance, Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi.
He was the First Minister of the State.
Personality[]
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Biography[]
Early Life[]
Colbert's father and grandfather were merchants in his birthplace of Reims, France. He claimed to have Scottish ancestry. A general (but unconfirmed) belief exists that he spent his early youth at a Jesuit college, working for a Parisian banker; as well as working for the father of Jean Chapelain.
Before the age of 20, Colbert had a post in the war office, a position generally attributed to the marriage of an uncle to the sister of Secretary of War ”Michel le Tellier“. Colbert spent some time as an inspector of troops, eventually becoming the personal secretary of Le Tellier. In 1647, through unknown means, Colbert acquired the confiscated goods of an uncle, Pussort. In 1648, he and his wife Marie Charron, received 40,000 crowns from an unknown source; and in 1649 Colbert became the councillor of state, i.e. a political minister.
In 1657, he purchased the Barony of Seignelay.
Colbert was recommended to King Louis XIV by Mazarin. While Cardinal Mazarin was in exile, Louis' trust in Colbert grew. In 1652 Colbert was asked to manage the affairs of the Cardinal while he was away. This new responsibility would detach Colbert from his other responsibility as commissaire des guerres. Although Colbert was not a supporter of Mazarin in principle, he would defend the cardinal's interests with unflagging devotion.
Colbert's earliest recorded attempt at tax reform came in the form of a mémoire to Mazarin, showing that of the taxes paid by the people, not one-half reached the King. The paper also contained an attack upon the Superintendent Fouquet. The postmaster of Paris, a spy of Fouquet's, read the letter, leading to a dispute which Mazarin attempted to suppress.
In 1661, Mazarin died and Colbert "made sure of the King's favour" by revealing the location of some of Mazarin's hidden wealth. In January 1664 Colbert became the Superintendent of buildings; in 1665 he became Controller-General of Finances; in 1669, he became Secretary of State of the Navy; he also gained appointments as minister of commerce, of the colonies and of the palace. In short, Colbert acquired power in every department except that of war.
A great financial and fiscal reform at once claimed all his energies. Not only the nobility, but many others who had no legal claim to exemption, paid no taxes; the bulk of the burden fell on the wretched country-folk. Supported by the young king Louis XIV, Colbert aimed the first blow at the man accused of being the greatest of the royal embezzlers, the superintendent Nicolas Fouquet. Fouquet's fall simultaneously secured Colbert's own advancement.
Season One[]
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Season Two[]
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Relationships[]
Louis XIV of France[]
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Isabelle[]
Colbert's niece. He invited her to Versailles on his own volition.
Chevalier de Lorraine[]
Hardly anything occurred between these two. Colbert expressed aggression toward the Chevalier after his niece was murdered and took it out on him.