Jacques de Flesselles
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Jacques de Flesselles | |
|---|---|
| Provost of Merchants of Paris | |
 Portrait of Jacques de Flesselles by Donat Nonnotte (Musée Carnavalet) | |
| Born | Bernard-René Jourdan 11 November 1730 Paris, France |
| Died | 14 July 1789 (aged 58) Hôtel de Ville, Paris |
| Spouse | Élisabeth Robinet |
| Father | Jacques de Flesselles |
| Provost of Merchants of Paris | |
| In office 28 April – 14 July 1789 | |
| Preceded by | Louis Le Peletier |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished
|
Jacques de Flesselles (French pronunciation: [ʒak də flɛsɛl]; 11 November 1730 – 14 July 1789) was a French official and one of the early victims of the French Revolution.
Career
Following appointments as intendant of Moulins in 1762 and of Rennes in 1765, de Flesselles served as intendant of Lyon (1768–1784) where he won respect as a reform-minded royal official. Motivated by a personal interest in scientific development, he sponsored a Montgolfier balloon in 1784, named the Flesselles in his honour.[1]
On 28 April 1789, de Flesselles became the last provost of the merchants of Paris, a post roughly equivalent to mayor. Three months later he faced a chaotic situation as widespread disturbances broke out and the withdrawal of the French Royal Army garrison left a vacuum of authority in central Paris.
