Samuel Bernard (1651 in Sancerre – January 18, 1739, in Paris), Count of Coubert (1725), was a French noble and financier.
Portrait of Samuel Bernard by Nicolas Mignard. The picture hangs in the Palace of Chenonceaux in France.
Lifeedit
Of Dutch origin, Samuel Bernard was the son of the painter and engraver Samuel-Jacques Bernard (1615-1687). His family was Protestant, but his father, according to the apocryphal memoirs of the Marquise de Créquy, "had embraced the sect of Arminius [and] had been forced into exile."
He created the French Guinea Company. Declared by Saint-Simon to be "the most famous and richest banker in Europe," he lent important funding to the Kingdom of France during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV.
Louis XIV, having exhausted his finances, notably turned to Bernard in 1708 to finance the War of the Spanish Succession. In order that the King would not have to stoop to receive the financier in an audience, the Controller-General of Finances, Nicolas Desmarets (1648-1721), carefully choreographed a meeting which took place at Marly. According to Saint-Simon:
At five o'clock, the King went out on foot and passed before all the pavilions [...] At the next pavilion, the king stopped. It was that of Desmarets, appearing with the famous banker Samuel Bernard, whom he had asked to dine and work with him [...] The King said to Desmarets that he was pleased to see him with Mr. Bernard, then, all of a sudden, said to the latter, "You are quite the man to have never seen Marly, come walk with me and see it, and afterwards I will return you to Desmarets"... I wasn't the only one who admired this trick by which the King, so miserly with his words, prostituted himself to a man of Bernard's kind.
Bernard returned dazzled from this walk, and Desmarets secured from him all the funding that he needed.
Samuel Bernard was ennobled in 1699 by Louis XIV, and created "Count of Coubert" by Louis XV in 1725. On December 29, 1719, he had effectively acquired the land of Coubert (Seine-et-Marne) with its château, which he had rebuilt from 1724 to 1727, possibly by Germain Boffrand. He also had an opulent home in Paris on place des Victoires. In 1731, he purchased the land of Glisolles in Normandie.
Familyedit
Samuel Bernard was first married to Magdelaine Clergeau, then remarried in 1720 to Miss de Saint-Chamans, sister of one of his daughters-in-law. He had several children:
Samuel-Jacques Bernard (1686-1753), Count of Coubert (1739), who was superintendent of finance, landholding, and business for the queen (1725) (from his first marriage).
Gabriel Bernard de Rieux (1687-1745), who married the daughter of comte de Boulainvilliers, president of the second Chamber of Inquests at the Parliament of Paris (from his first marriage).
Vincent Bernard de la Livinière.
Bonne Félicité Bernard (from his second marriage), who married Mathieu-François Molé, président à mortier of the Parliament of Paris.
He also had several daughters by Marie-Anne-Armande Carton, known as Manon, daughter of the actor Florent Carton Dancourt, and wife of Jean-Louis-Guillaume Fontaine (1666-1714), commissioner and controller-general of the Navy:
samuel, bernard, financier, father, samuel, bernard, artist, samuel, bernard, 1651, sancerre, january, 1739, paris, count, coubert, 1725, french, noble, financier, portrait, samuel, bernard, nicolas, mignard, picture, hangs, palace, chenonceaux, france, life, . For his father see Samuel Bernard artist Samuel Bernard 1651 in Sancerre January 18 1739 in Paris Count of Coubert 1725 was a French noble and financier Portrait of Samuel Bernard by Nicolas Mignard The picture hangs in the Palace of Chenonceaux in France Life editOf Dutch origin Samuel Bernard was the son of the painter and engraver Samuel Jacques Bernard 1615 1687 His family was Protestant but his father according to the apocryphal memoirs of the Marquise de Crequy had embraced the sect of Arminius and had been forced into exile He created the French Guinea Company Declared by Saint Simon to be the most famous and richest banker in Europe he lent important funding to the Kingdom of France during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV Louis XIV having exhausted his finances notably turned to Bernard in 1708 to finance the War of the Spanish Succession In order that the King would not have to stoop to receive the financier in an audience the Controller General of Finances Nicolas Desmarets 1648 1721 carefully choreographed a meeting which took place at Marly According to Saint Simon At five o clock the King went out on foot and passed before all the pavilions At the next pavilion the king stopped It was that of Desmarets appearing with the famous banker Samuel Bernard whom he had asked to dine and work with him The King said to Desmarets that he was pleased to see him with Mr Bernard then all of a sudden said to the latter You are quite the man to have never seen Marly come walk with me and see it and afterwards I will return you to Desmarets I wasn t the only one who admired this trick by which the King so miserly with his words prostituted himself to a man of Bernard s kind Bernard returned dazzled from this walk and Desmarets secured from him all the funding that he needed Samuel Bernard was ennobled in 1699 by Louis XIV and created Count of Coubert by Louis XV in 1725 On December 29 1719 he had effectively acquired the land of Coubert Seine et Marne with its chateau which he had rebuilt from 1724 to 1727 possibly by Germain Boffrand He also had an opulent home in Paris on place des Victoires In 1731 he purchased the land of Glisolles in Normandie Family editSamuel Bernard was first married to Magdelaine Clergeau then remarried in 1720 to Miss de Saint Chamans sister of one of his daughters in law He had several children Samuel Jacques Bernard 1686 1753 Count of Coubert 1739 who was superintendent of finance landholding and business for the queen 1725 from his first marriage Gabriel Bernard de Rieux 1687 1745 who married the daughter of comte de Boulainvilliers president of the second Chamber of Inquests at the Parliament of Paris from his first marriage Vincent Bernard de la Liviniere Bonne Felicite Bernard from his second marriage who married Mathieu Francois Mole president a mortier of the Parliament of Paris He also had several daughters by Marie Anne Armande Carton known as Manon daughter of the actor Florent Carton Dancourt and wife of Jean Louis Guillaume Fontaine 1666 1714 commissioner and controller general of the Navy Louise Marie Madeleine Fontaine 1706 1799 who married the fermier general Claude Dupin a tax and customs officer landlord of the chateau de Chenonceau Marie Anne Louise Fontaine 1710 1765 who married Antoine Alexis Panneau d Arty a high level tax official from 1737 to 1743 Francoise Therese Fontaine 1712 1765 who married Mr Vallet de La Touche See also editAsiento Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel Bernard financier amp oldid 1194454388, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
