L is for Louvois – Secretary of state for war
A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024
Early life
The Marquis de Louvois began his life as François-Michel Le Tellier. His father, Michel Le Tellier, was the long-term secretary for war under Louis XIV and one of the wealthiest and most powerful officials in France. He groomed his son as his replacement. The task was no easy one; François-Michel was not a brilliant scholar, having only received a superficial education at a Jesuit college. He was, moreover, dissolute. His father brought him into the war department and subjected him to an iron discipline that finally formed him into a hardworking youth, who was supremely confident of his own ability, and had extensive experience in military administration.
Career as minister
As his knowledge increased, so did his position. In 1665 the king granted Louvois the right to handle all the duties of Le Tellier’s office and to sign all papers, but only in his father’s presence. His first important test came in the War of Devolution (1667–68) between France and Spain over Louis XIV’s claim to the Spanish Netherlands, when Louvois accompanied the king into battle. Although this campaign revealed a disturbing lack of supplies, Louvois learned his lessons well, and his competence became unquestioned.
From 1677–91, Louvois was the secretary of state for war under Louis XIV and his most influential minister. He contributed to the reorganization of the French army.
Louvois’s successful career was, however, tarnished by the dragonnades leading up to the revocation in 1685 of the Edict of Nantes, which had granted French Protestants certain liberties. Although Louvois had no strong religious feelings himself, he recognized Louis XIV’s interest in religious unity and went along with the king’s wishes. Personally, he disliked the methods of the dragonnades, for they encouraged a lack of discipline among the troops.
Legacy
Most historians have allotted to Louvois all the glory for perfecting the French military machine. In reality, his father was the innovator; Louvois was only the brilliant administrator who brought his father’s reforms to fruition. Yet Louvois had done his work well. After his death the French army remained one of the most formidable in Europe.
Source: Britannica.
In the book ‘Greet Suzon for me’
In the book ‘Greet Suzon for me’, which is due to be published in 2024, Samuel d’Albert, a Huguenot lawyer from Alençon, goes on a business trip to Paris in 1665. While there, he has dealings with the young François-Michel Le Tellier. They become good friends. Samuel later tells his son Gédéon about it:
“In fact, he invited me to his daughter’s baptism party. She grew up to be such a sweet little girl that we named your sister after her.”
“Maddy?” Gédéon asks.
“Yes, her name is Madeleine Charlotte. But that was a long time ago. When the king promoted him to war minister, he gained the title Marquis de Louvois. It seems to have gone to his head.”
“What do you mean?”
“He became hard … and very antagonistic toward us Huguenots.”
