Charles Fouquet, duke de Belle-Isle

Charles Fouquet, duke de Belle-Isle (born Sept. 24, 1684, Villefranche, Fr.—died Jan. 26, 1761, Versailles) was a marshal of France and statesman chiefly important for his role in involving France in the War of the Austrian Succession.

A grandson of the notorious Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister under Louis XIV, Belle-Isle joined the army as a youth and fought in the War of the Spanish Succession and in the war of 1718–19 against Spain. He made his fortune by speculation in a financial system developed by John Law, Scottish monetary reformer and originator of the “Mississippi Scheme.” He was disgraced and exiled to his estates by the Duc de Bourbon, head of the regency council. He recovered his position at court under Cardinal Fleury and enhanced his military reputation by successes in the Rhineland during the War of the Polish Succession. Hoping to succeed Fleury as prime minister, Belle-Isle engaged in various court intrigues. He led an anti-Austrian faction at court that forced Fleury into offensive operations against Maria Theresa in the interest of Charles Albert, elector of Bavaria. France ended by repudiating Fleury’s recognition of the Pragmatic Sanction and by forgoing a chance to concentrate on naval and colonial rivalry with Great Britain.

Belle-Isle was influential in securing the election of Charles Albert as emperor (Charles VII) on Jan. 24, 1742, for which he was created duc de Gisors in March. Later, as military commander, he skillfully led the withdrawal of French forces from Prague (1742) and successfully defended Provence against the Austrians and Sardinians (1746–47). In 1748 his duchy was made a peerage of France, and in 1749 he was elected to the Académie Française.

Belle-Isle served as minister of war (1758–60) during the Seven Years’ War; he carried out minor administrative reforms but was criticized for his failure to reinforce the French troops at Quebec, thereby losing Canada.