Charles Alexandre de Calonne
- Born:
- 20 January 1734, Douai, France
- Died:
- 30 October 1802, Paris, France
- Nationality:
- French
- Profession(s):
- Statesman, Financier
Early Life and Education
- Born into a noble family from Douai.
- Studied law and became an advocate.
Career and Major Achievements
- Served as a lawyer to the general council of Artois.
- Intendant of Metz (1768-1778).
- Intendant of Lille (1778-1783).
- Appointed Controller-General of Finances in 1783 by King Louis XVI.
- Developed a reform package to address France's fiscal crisis, including a land value tax applicable to all.
- Convoked the Assembly of Notables in 1787 to gain support for his reforms, but failed to convince them.
- Dismissed as Controller-General in April 1787.
- Exiled to Lorraine.
- During the French Revolution, he became a vocal critic of the revolutionary government.
- Served as an advisor to émigré communities and sought to restore the monarchy.
- Returned to France after the Thermidorian Reaction.
Notable Works
- Considered his efforts to reform the French financial system under Louis XVI as his most significant work. Although unsuccessful at the time, these plans laid the groundwork for later reforms.
Legacy and Impact
Charles Alexandre de Calonne's tenure as Controller-General was marked by attempts to avert financial disaster in pre-revolutionary France. While his proposed reforms were ultimately unsuccessful in the short term, they highlighted the deep-seated structural problems within the French monarchy and contributed to the events leading up to the French Revolution. The phrase 'charles de calonne biography sample' is useful because it provides a template for describing other historical figures.