Quick Facts
Biography
Jacques-Victor-Albert, 4th duc de Broglie (French: [albɛʁ dəbʁœj]; 13 June 1821 – 19 January 1901) was a French monarchist politician, diplomat and writer (of historical works and translations).
Biography
Albert de Broglie was born in Paris, France, the eldest son of Victor, 3rd duc de Broglie, a liberal statesman of the July Monarchy, and Albertine, baroness Staël von Holstein, the fourth child of Madame de Staël.
After a brief diplomatic career at Madrid and Rome, the revolution of 1848 caused Albert de Broglie to withdraw from public life and devote himself to literature. He had already published a translation of the religious system of Leibniz (1846). He now at once made his mark by his contributions to the Revue des deux mondes and the Orleanist and clerical organ Le Correspondant. These, and other contributions, brought him the succession to Lacordaire's seat in the Académie française in 1862, joining his father in this august society.
In 1870 he succeeded his father as the 4th duc de Broglie, having previously been styled prince de Broglie. In the following year he was elected to the National Assembly for the département of the Eure, and a few days later (on 19 February) was appointed French Ambassador to London.
In March 1872, however, in consequence of criticisms of his negotiations concerning the commercial treaties between Britain and France, he resigned his post and took his seat in the Assembly, where he became the leading light of the monarchical campaign against President Thiers.
On the replacement of the latter by Marshal Mac-Mahon, the duc de Broglie became President of the Council and Minister for Foreign Affairs (May 1873), but in the reconstruction of the ministry on 26 November, after the passing of the Septennate, transferred himself to become the Minister of the Interior. His tenure of office was marked by an extreme conservatism, which roused the bitter hatred of the Republicans, while he alienated the Legitimist Party by his friendly relations with the Bonapartists, and the Bonapartists by an attempt to effect a compromise between the rival claimants to the monarchy.
The result was the fall of the cabinet on 16 May 1874. Three years later (on 16 May 1877) he was entrusted with the formation of a new Cabinet, with the object of appealing to the country and securing a new chamber more favorable to the reactionaries than its predecessor had been. The result, however, was a decisive Republican majority. The duc de Broglie was defeated in his own district, and resigned office on 20 November. Defeated in 1885, he abandoned politics and reverted to his historical work, publishing a series of historical studies and biographies. He died in Paris on 19 January 1901, aged 79.
1st Ministry (25 May – 26 November 1873)
- Albert, duc de Broglie – President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- François Claude du Barail – Minister of War
- Charles Beulé – Minister of the Interior
- Pierre Magne – Minister of Finance
- Jean Ernoul – Minister of Justice
- Charles de Dompierre d'Hornoy – Minister of Marine and Colonies
- Anselme Batbie – Minister of Public Instruction, Fine Arts, and Worship
- Alfred Deseilligny – Minister of Public Works
- Joseph de La Bouillerie – Minister of Agriculture and Commerce
2nd Ministry (26 November 1873 – 22 May 1874)
- Albert, duc de Broglie – President of the Council and Minister of the Interior
- Louis Decazes – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- François Claude du Barail – Minister of War
- Pierre Magne – Minister of Finance
- Octave Depeyre – Minister of Justice
- Charles de Dompierre d'Hornoy – Minister of Marine and Colonies
- Oscar Bardi de Fourtou – Minister of Public Instruction, Fine Arts, and Worship
- Charles de Larcy – Minister of Public Works
- Alfred Deseilligny – Minister of Agriculture and Commerce
3rd Ministry (17 May – 23 November 1877)
- Albert, duc de Broglie – President of the Council and Minister of Justice
- Louis Decazes – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Jean Auguste Berthaud – Minister of War
- Oscar Bardi de Fourtou – Minister of the Interior
- Eugène Caillaux – Minister of Finance
- Albert Gicquel des Touches – Minister of Marine and Colonies
- Joseph Brunet – Minister of Public Instruction, Fine Arts, and Worship
- Auguste Paris – Minister of Public Works
- Alfred, vicomte de Meaux – Minister of Agriculture and Commerce
- ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 627.
- Chisholm 1911, pp. 627, 628.
- ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 628.
Family
On 18 June 1845, styled Prince de Broglie, he married Joséphine-Eléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de Brassac de Béarn (1825–1860).
They had the following children:
- Louis-Alphonse-Victor, 5th duc de Broglie (1846 – 1906) father of the scientist brothers including the 7th Duke, the Nobel Laureate.
- Maurice (1848 – 1862)
- Henri-Amédée (1849 – 1917)
- François-Marie-Albert (1851 – 1939) great-grandfather of the present duke, Victor-François, 8th duc de Broglie (b. 1949).
- César-Paul-Emmanuel (1854 – 1926)
- Tinterow, Gary; Conisbee, Philip; Naef, Hans (1999). Portraits by Ingres: Image of an Epoch. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. p. 447. ISBN 0-8109-6536-4
Honours and titles
Duke of France (succeeded as 4th Duke of Broglie 1870)
Chevalier, Légion d'honneur (1845)
Duke of France (succeeded as 4th Duke of Broglie 1870)
Chevalier, Légion d'honneur (1845)