Charles Olivier de Saint-Georges, 4th Marquis of Vérac (Chateau of Couhé-Vérac, 10 October 1743 – 28 October 1828) was a French military officer and diplomat of the French Ancien Régime.
Vérac (as he is commonly known in the historical literature) was the son of François Olivier de Saint-Georges de Vérac and Elisabeth Marie de Riencourt. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were lieutenants général de Province of Poitou. He himself received that rank at age 10.[1][Note 1]
He married Marie Charlotte Joséphine Sabine de Croÿ d'Havré, the daughter of the Duke of Havré on 14 April 1760. They had the following children:
The Dutch Republic at the time was in the middle of the political upheavals of the Patriottentijd. The American Revolutionary War had just ended in 1783, but the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, of which it was a part, only ended in 1784. There had therefore not been a British envoy for some time, but at the end of 1784 the new British envoy Sir James Harris also came to The Hague. They would be each others opponents in the coming years. Both were deeply involved in the internal politics of the country, Vérac on the side of the Patriots, the opponents of the Orangist party of the stadtholderWilliam V, Prince of Orange.[Note 2] Harris became the de facto leader of the Orangists. Both engaged in espionage and covert political operations against their political opponents. Vérac actively supported the aspirations of the "democratic" wing of the Patriots, latterly also against the Patriot regenten, when the two factions became each others enemies. During the Patriot Revolt of 1785-1787 Vérac financially supported the Free Corps that occasionally fought the Dutch States Army troops of the stadtholder.[3] After the incident on 28 June 1787 of the arrest of Princess Wilhelmina, the spouse of the stadtholder, who was the sister of king Frederick William II of Prussia,[Note 3] a European diplomatic crisis developed. France tried to keep the Prussians and British at bay, while protecting its interests in the Dutch Republic. Unfortunately, the French foreign policy was in disarray after the death of minister Vergennes earlier in 1787. The new foreign minister Montmorin had a less sure hand. Also, there was a government crisis at the end of August,[Note 4] just when the Prussian invasion of Holland was imminent.[4] The political maneuvering in France between the different factions undermined his position, as the chevalier de la Luzerne was angling for his job.[5] Vérac was recalled on 20 August 1787. Montmorin assured him that there was no personal dissatisfaction with him, and that he would receive a pension while a new position was found for him.[6] Vérac's biographer Michaud speculates that the recall was motivated by the fact that Vérac opposed the return of the stadtholder as military governor of The Hague (a post he had been deprived of by the States of Holland in 1786),[1] but this is unlikely as it was official policy of both the French government and the Dutch government in power at the time, just as he had faithfully executed the French policy towards the Patriots.[6]
After his recall Vérac remained for two years sous la remise ("on the backburner") before he was again given a diplomatic post, this time as ambassador to the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1789. But after the Flight to Varennes of king Louis XVI of France in June 1791 Vérac immediately handed in his resignation. He departed for Lindau. Later he resided for short periods at Venice, Florence and Regensburg. But after he had resigned he had been registered as an Émigré, which brought penalties of proscription with it. His worldly goods were confiscated and mostly sold off, or destroyed, his noble titles burned.[1]
Vérac was able to return to France in 1801, and lived as a private citizen until the Bourbon Restoration of 1814 and 1815. King Louis XVIII of France gave him the (this time military) rank of Lieutenant-General, and did him the honor of allowing him to participate in the "Grandes Entrées".[Note 5] Vérac spent his final years in his birthplace among his family. He died on 28 October 1818, just over 85 years old.[1]
Notes and references
Notes
^Under the Ancien Régime it was not unusual to give public offices as sinecures to underage people, so that they could enjoy the emoluments, while the work was done by someone else.
^Whom the French government no longer recognized as Prince of Orange, since the principality had been ceded to France in 1713; Vérac therefore always referred to the Prince as "Prince de Nassau."
^An anecdote Vérac in later life liked to relate is, that he and the British envoy Harris were playing cards on the evening the incident took place. Evidently Harris, having no news about the Princess whom he was expecting to arrive, got so worried that he was off his usually astute game, and he lost a lot of money; Cf. Cobban, p. 151
^The French minister of War de Ségur resigned when Brienne became premier ministre.
^During the so-called Petit lever after the king had risen from his bed, the king received courtiers he wanted to honor during the so-called grandes entrées of the court.
"Charles Olivier de Saint-Georges de Vérac". Roglo Genealogical database (in French). Retrieved May 1, 2018.
Cobban, A. (1954). Ambassadors and secret agents: the diplomacy of the first Earl of Malmesbury at the Hague. Jonathan Cape.
Michaud, L.G. (1843–1865). "Vérac (Charles Olivier de Saint-Georges, marquis de), in: Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne : histoire par ordre alphabétique de la vie publique et privée de tous les hommes avec la collaboration de plus de 300 savants et littérateurs français ou étrangers, vol. 43, 2e édition". Google Livres (in French). pp. 129–130. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
January 20, 2023
charles, olivier, saint, georges, vérac, charles, olivier, saint, georges, marquis, vérac, chateau, couhé, vérac, october, 1743, october, 1828, french, military, officer, diplomat, french, ancien, régime, arrival, french, envoy, states, general, netherlands, c. Charles Olivier de Saint Georges 4th Marquis of Verac Chateau of Couhe Verac 10 October 1743 28 October 1828 was a French military officer and diplomat of the French Ancien Regime Arrival of the French envoy to the States General of the Netherlands Charles Olivier de St Georges Marquis de Verac on 24 April 1786 at the Theater on the Coolsingel in Rotterdam Contents 1 Personal life 2 Career 3 Notes and references 3 1 Notes 3 2 References 4 SourcesPersonal life EditVerac as he is commonly known in the historical literature was the son of Francois Olivier de Saint Georges de Verac and Elisabeth Marie de Riencourt His father grandfather and great grandfather were lieutenants general de Province of Poitou He himself received that rank at age 10 1 Note 1 He married Marie Charlotte Josephine Sabine de Croy d Havre the daughter of the Duke of Havre on 14 April 1760 They had the following children Charles Francois Marie Joseph 1761 1763 Anne Louis Joseph Cesar Olivier 1763 1838 Alphonse Christian Theodoric Joseph Olivier 1765 Anne Justine Elisabeth Josephine 1767 Olivier Armand Maximilien Francois 1768 1858 Gabriel Louis Christian Joseph 1839 2 Career EditVerac entered the Musketeers of the Guard in 1757 In 1761 he became Aide de camp of his father in law during the Seven Years War He was wounded in the arm at the Battle of Villinghausen by the same cannon ball that killed his father in law 1 In 1767 he was appointed Colonel of the Regiment de Grenadiers de France In 1770 he was promoted to Mestre de camp Soon after he was made a Chevalier de St Louis 1 After this accomplished military career he entered the diplomatic service in 1772 when he was sent as an envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the court of Hesse Kassel His next posting was the court of Denmark Norway in 1774 In 1779 he was accredited at the court of Catherine the Great where he stayed till he was promoted and sent as ambassador to the States General of the Netherlands in The Hague in 1784 1 The Dutch Republic at the time was in the middle of the political upheavals of the Patriottentijd The American Revolutionary War had just ended in 1783 but the Fourth Anglo Dutch War of which it was a part only ended in 1784 There had therefore not been a British envoy for some time but at the end of 1784 the new British envoy Sir James Harris also came to The Hague They would be each others opponents in the coming years Both were deeply involved in the internal politics of the country Verac on the side of the Patriots the opponents of the Orangist party of the stadtholder William V Prince of Orange Note 2 Harris became the de facto leader of the Orangists Both engaged in espionage and covert political operations against their political opponents Verac actively supported the aspirations of the democratic wing of the Patriots latterly also against the Patriot regenten when the two factions became each others enemies During the Patriot Revolt of 1785 1787 Verac financially supported the Free Corps that occasionally fought the Dutch States Army troops of the stadtholder 3 After the incident on 28 June 1787 of the arrest of Princess Wilhelmina the spouse of the stadtholder who was the sister of king Frederick William II of Prussia Note 3 a European diplomatic crisis developed France tried to keep the Prussians and British at bay while protecting its interests in the Dutch Republic Unfortunately the French foreign policy was in disarray after the death of minister Vergennes earlier in 1787 The new foreign minister Montmorin had a less sure hand Also there was a government crisis at the end of August Note 4 just when the Prussian invasion of Holland was imminent 4 The political maneuvering in France between the different factions undermined his position as the chevalier de la Luzerne was angling for his job 5 Verac was recalled on 20 August 1787 Montmorin assured him that there was no personal dissatisfaction with him and that he would receive a pension while a new position was found for him 6 Verac s biographer Michaud speculates that the recall was motivated by the fact that Verac opposed the return of the stadtholder as military governor of The Hague a post he had been deprived of by the States of Holland in 1786 1 but this is unlikely as it was official policy of both the French government and the Dutch government in power at the time just as he had faithfully executed the French policy towards the Patriots 6 After his recall Verac remained for two years sous la remise on the backburner before he was again given a diplomatic post this time as ambassador to the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1789 But after the Flight to Varennes of king Louis XVI of France in June 1791 Verac immediately handed in his resignation He departed for Lindau Later he resided for short periods at Venice Florence and Regensburg But after he had resigned he had been registered as an Emigre which brought penalties of proscription with it His worldly goods were confiscated and mostly sold off or destroyed his noble titles burned 1 Verac was able to return to France in 1801 and lived as a private citizen until the Bourbon Restoration of 1814 and 1815 King Louis XVIII of France gave him the this time military rank of Lieutenant General and did him the honor of allowing him to participate in the Grandes Entrees Note 5 Verac spent his final years in his birthplace among his family He died on 28 October 1818 just over 85 years old 1 Notes and references EditNotes Edit Under the Ancien Regime it was not unusual to give public offices as sinecures to underage people so that they could enjoy the emoluments while the work was done by someone else Whom the French government no longer recognized as Prince of Orange since the principality had been ceded to France in 1713 Verac therefore always referred to the Prince as Prince de Nassau An anecdote Verac in later life liked to relate is that he and the British envoy Harris were playing cards on the evening the incident took place Evidently Harris having no news about the Princess whom he was expecting to arrive got so worried that he was off his usually astute game and he lost a lot of money Cf Cobban p 151 The French minister of War de Segur resigned when Brienne became premier ministre During the so called Petit lever after the king had risen from his bed the king received courtiers he wanted to honor during the so called grandes entrees of the court References Edit a b c d e f g Michaud Verac Roglo Cobban pp 110 120 Cobban pp 138 147 Cobban p 163 a b Cobban p 164Sources Edit Charles Olivier de Saint Georges de Verac Roglo Genealogical database in French Retrieved May 1 2018 Cobban A 1954 Ambassadors and secret agents the diplomacy of the first Earl of Malmesbury at the Hague Jonathan Cape Michaud L G 1843 1865 Verac Charles Olivier de Saint Georges marquis de in Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne histoire par ordre alphabetique de la vie publique et privee de tous les hommes avec la collaboration de plus de 300 savants et litterateurs francais ou etrangers vol 43 2e edition Google Livres in French pp 129 130 Retrieved May 1 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Olivier de Saint Georges de Verac amp oldid 1026965821, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
