Belle-Isle, Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet, Duc de
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Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet, Duc de Belle-Isle
French lieutenant-general (1732-40), Maréchal de France (1740-61)
War Minister (1758-61)
born September 22, 1684, Villefrance-de-Rouergue, France
died January 26, 1761, Versailles, France
Description
Charles Louis Auguste was the grandson of the Finance Intendant Nicolas Fouquet and the son of Louis Fouquet, Marquis de Belle-Isle, and of Catherine Agnès de Lévis.
Charles Louis Auguste took part in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13). In 1715, he participated in the diplomatic negotiations which followed the war.
In 1721, Charles Louis Auguste married Henriette-Françoise de Durfort de Civrac.
In 1727, Charles Louis Auguste de Belle-Isle was appointed governor of the Trois-Évêchés.
In 1729, Charles Louis Auguste married (second marriage) Marie-Casimire-Thérèse-Geneviève-Emmanuelle de Béthune.
In 1732, Charles Louis Auguste de Belle-Isle was promoted to lieutenant-general.
Belle-Isle took part in the War of the Polish Succession (1733-35). In 1734, he served under the command of the Maréchal de Berwick. In 1736, he participated in the diplomatic negotiations which followed the war, contributing to the acquisition of the duchies of Bar and Lorraine for France.
In 1740, Belle-Isle was promoted to maréchal de France.
In 1741, during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), Belle-Isle advocated the intervention of France in favor of Bavaria. He, along with Broglie, led the French armies who invaded Bohemia and captured Prague. In 1744. Belle-Isle was taken prisoner by the British. In 1745, he was freed. In 1745, he commanded in Italy against the Austrians and Savoyards.
In 1748, Belle-Isle became duke and “pair de France”.
In 1749, Belle-Isle was elected to the Académie Française.
On May 16, 1756, during the Seven Years’ War, Belle-Isle was appointed state minister. On March 3, 1758, he was appointed war minister.
Belle-Isle died in 1761.
References
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 7 Olmütz und Crefeld, Berlin, 1909, pp. 229-230, Anhang 39
French Wikipedia – Charles Louis Auguste Fouquet de Belle-Isle
