Emmanuel Crétet, Comte de Champmol (10 February 1747 – 28 November 1809) was a French merchant, financier and politician. He was the first governor of the Banque de France.
Emmanuel Crétet was born in the village of Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin, Savoie, on 10 February 1747, the youngest of six children of a timber merchant. He studied with the Oratorians before joining a merchant in Bordeaux.[1] He made seven voyages to the West Indies, on some of which he commanded the ship. He spent time in England, where he acquired liberal views.[2] Crétet then settled in Paris in the trading house of an uncle. He inherited his uncle's business. Shortly before the French Revolution (1789–1799) he had become Director of a fire insurance company.[1]
First Republicedit
Crétet disapproved of the excesses of the Terror. He moved to Dijon, where he became a trader. He purchased some of the national assets that were sold by the revolutionary government.[1] On 4 May 1791 he bought the chartreuse of Champmol in the department of Côte-d'Or, founded in 1384 and burial place of the Valois Dukes of Burgundy. He destroyed the church of the former monastery and most of the buildings, apart from those he kept for his own use or to decorate the garden.[3] The next year the tombs and coffins of the dukes were transported to Saint-Bénigne. The altar and some woodwork from the church was also reassembled.[4]
Crétet entered politics in 1795.[5] He was elected to represent Côte-d'Or in the Council of Ancients, the Upper House of the French Directory, taking his seat at the start of Brumaire, year IV.[2] There he began a political career dedicated to economic and financial administration.[1]
Crétet supported the coup-d'état of 18 Brumaire (9 November 1799) in which Napoleon came to power as First Consul. On 4 Nivôse year VIII he was appointed both to the Senate and to the Council of State.[1] He was named Councilor of State in charge of bridges and roads. He was willing to support new construction techniques, such as iron bridges in Paris. He undertook various canal projects, of which the Saint-Quentin canal was the first.[2]
Crétet was one of the most active negotiators of the Concordat that reestablished the Catholic religion in France.[6] He was one of the signatories to the Concordat of 15 July 1801 that aimed to achieve peace with the church.[1]
On 11 Thermidor Year X Crétet issued a report on a central bank for France. He said it must be independent of the government, free in the way it used its capital and credit. If the government interfered, the bank would never establish credit and would be bound to fail.[1]
Empireedit
Crétet was a member of committees charged with drawing up the statutes of the central bank, and was appointed first governor of the Banque de France by imperial decree on 25 April 1806. On 9 August 1807 he left the bank to become Minister of the Interior.[1] He spent lavishly on monuments, and encouraged commerce, manufacturing, learning and the arts.[7] He had the Stock Exchange built in Paris and the Granary, which was burned by the Paris Commune in 1871.[8] Crétet was appointed Commander of the Legion of Honour.[9] Napoleon made him Comte de Champmol on 26 April 1808.[1]
Crétet resigned due to sickness on 1 October 1809 and was replaced by Joseph Fouché.[1] Crétet died on 28 November 1809, aged 62. The emperor decreed that he should be given great honors at his funeral. He was buried in the Panthéon, Paris.[10]
Champollion-Figeac, Aimé Louis (1880). Chroniques dauphinoises et documents inédits relatifs à Dauphiné pendant la Révolution. Impr. Savigné. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
"Emmanuel Crétet, comte de Champmol" (PDF). Bank of France. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
Fourcaud (1888). "Francois Rude". Gazette des beaux-arts. J. Claye. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
Jugie, Sophie (2003). (PDF). Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
"Nécrologie - Emmanuel Crétet". Mercure de France. 1809. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
emmanuel, crétet, comte, champmol, february, 1747, november, 1809, french, merchant, financier, politician, first, governor, banque, france, comte, champmolborn, 1747, february, 1747le, pont, beauvoisin, savoie, francedied28, november, 1809, 1809, aged, paris,. Emmanuel Cretet Comte de Champmol 10 February 1747 28 November 1809 was a French merchant financier and politician He was the first governor of the Banque de France Emmanuel CretetEmmanuel Cretet Comte de ChampmolBorn 1747 02 10 10 February 1747Le Pont de Beauvoisin Savoie FranceDied28 November 1809 1809 11 28 aged 62 Paris FranceNationalityFrenchOccupation s Merchant financier and politicianKnown forFirst governor of the Banque de France Contents 1 Early years 2 First Republic 3 Consulate 4 Empire 5 ReferencesEarly years editEmmanuel Cretet was born in the village of Le Pont de Beauvoisin Savoie on 10 February 1747 the youngest of six children of a timber merchant He studied with the Oratorians before joining a merchant in Bordeaux 1 He made seven voyages to the West Indies on some of which he commanded the ship He spent time in England where he acquired liberal views 2 Cretet then settled in Paris in the trading house of an uncle He inherited his uncle s business Shortly before the French Revolution 1789 1799 he had become Director of a fire insurance company 1 First Republic editCretet disapproved of the excesses of the Terror He moved to Dijon where he became a trader He purchased some of the national assets that were sold by the revolutionary government 1 On 4 May 1791 he bought the chartreuse of Champmol in the department of Cote d Or founded in 1384 and burial place of the Valois Dukes of Burgundy He destroyed the church of the former monastery and most of the buildings apart from those he kept for his own use or to decorate the garden 3 The next year the tombs and coffins of the dukes were transported to Saint Benigne The altar and some woodwork from the church was also reassembled 4 Cretet entered politics in 1795 5 He was elected to represent Cote d Or in the Council of Ancients the Upper House of the French Directory taking his seat at the start of Brumaire year IV 2 There he began a political career dedicated to economic and financial administration 1 Consulate edit nbsp Signature of the Concordat on 15 July 1801 From left to right Joseph Bonaparte Napoleon Portalis Cardinal Giuseppe Spina d Hauterive and Cretet Cretet supported the coup d etat of 18 Brumaire 9 November 1799 in which Napoleon came to power as First Consul On 4 Nivose year VIII he was appointed both to the Senate and to the Council of State 1 He was named Councilor of State in charge of bridges and roads He was willing to support new construction techniques such as iron bridges in Paris He undertook various canal projects of which the Saint Quentin canal was the first 2 Cretet was one of the most active negotiators of the Concordat that reestablished the Catholic religion in France 6 He was one of the signatories to the Concordat of 15 July 1801 that aimed to achieve peace with the church 1 On 11 Thermidor Year X Cretet issued a report on a central bank for France He said it must be independent of the government free in the way it used its capital and credit If the government interfered the bank would never establish credit and would be bound to fail 1 Empire editCretet was a member of committees charged with drawing up the statutes of the central bank and was appointed first governor of the Banque de France by imperial decree on 25 April 1806 On 9 August 1807 he left the bank to become Minister of the Interior 1 He spent lavishly on monuments and encouraged commerce manufacturing learning and the arts 7 He had the Stock Exchange built in Paris and the Granary which was burned by the Paris Commune in 1871 8 Cretet was appointed Commander of the Legion of Honour 9 Napoleon made him Comte de Champmol on 26 April 1808 1 Cretet resigned due to sickness on 1 October 1809 and was replaced by Joseph Fouche 1 Cretet died on 28 November 1809 aged 62 The emperor decreed that he should be given great honors at his funeral He was buried in the Pantheon Paris 10 References editCitations a b c d e f g h i j Emmanuel Cretet comte de Champmol BdeF a b c Necrologie Emmanuel Cretet Mercure 1809 p 563 Jugie 2003 pp 11 Jugie 2003 pp 12 Champollion Figeac 1880 p 279 Fourcaud 1888 p 123 Necrologie Emmanuel Cretet Mercure 1809 p 564 Champollion Figeac 1880 p 101 Champollion Figeac 1880 p 102 Champollion Figeac 1880 p 285 Sources Champollion Figeac Aime Louis 1880 Chroniques dauphinoises et documents inedits relatifs a Dauphine pendant la Revolution Impr Savigne Retrieved 2014 04 22 Emmanuel Cretet comte de Champmol PDF Bank of France Retrieved 2014 04 22 Fourcaud 1888 Francois Rude Gazette des beaux arts J Claye Retrieved 2014 04 22 Jugie Sophie 2003 Les Ducs de Bourgogne PDF Musee des Beaux Arts de Dijon Archived from the original PDF on 2007 10 23 Retrieved 2014 04 22 Necrologie Emmanuel Cretet Mercure de France 1809 Retrieved 2014 04 22 Political officesPreceded byJean Antoine Marbot President of the Council of Ancients1797 1797 Succeeded byJean Pierre Lacombe Saint MichelPreceded byJean Baptiste de Nompere de Champagny Interior Minister of France1807 1809 Succeeded byJoseph FouchePreceded by Governor of the Bank of France1806 1807 Succeeded byFrancois Jaubert Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emmanuel Cretet amp oldid 1185264826, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
