He obtained a post in the War Office and in 1651 entered the service
of Cardinal Mazarin. The Cardinal was concerned about his fortune, some
20 million pounds, as his enemies might persuade Louis XIV to confiscate
it. Jean Baptiste Colbert suggested that he offer it
to Louis XIV. When Mazarin did, Louis XIV considered it for three days;
however, as he liked to outdo any magnanimous gesture, he declined.
Mazarin suspected the Minister for Finances, Nicholas Fouquet, to be
corrupt but did nothing as exposing Fouquet would also mean exposing himself.
However, on his deathbed he warned Louis XIV who then appointed Colbert
as assistant to Fouquet. Colbert revealed
that, after Mazarin's death, an amount of 5 million pounds which Mazarin
had set aside had been intended for the king; this proved to Louis XIV
that he could trust Colbert.
Fouquet discussed finances every afternoon with Louis XIV who, in turn,
tried to check these figures with Colbert every evening. After a period
when discrepancies became obvious, Louis XIV gave Fouquet every chance
to correct the figures without having to admit to his dishonesty; but it
soon became apparent that Fouquet had also given
advances to his friends and relatives from public money. After careful
planning Fouquet was arrested, convicted of malversation and treason. The
court's punishment was exile, but which Louis XIV changed to life-imprisonment
in the fortress of Pignerol. Colbert was now in charge of finances and
in ten years' time the country's revenue had doubled. He achieved this
not by increasing taxes but by reform and forcing financial officials to
keep regular accounts. Another reason was that the king himself kept check
on all expenditure.
Colbert and Louis XIV also realised that France had to become industrialised,
not only to manufacture but if possible to create exports to enrich the
country. To achieve this, cloth-makers and weavers were imported from Flanders,
metal-workers from Germany,
lace-makers from Italy and so on. In 1667 Louis XIV doubled the tariff
on all foreign imports. As well, he allowed noblemen to engage in sea-trade
without forfeiting their titles. Colbert then started a naval build-up.
In 1667 France had fifty men-of-war; by 1671 more than
a hundred.
He reorganised the colonies in Canada, Martinique and St.Domingo as
well as founding colonies at Cayenne and Madagascar. He created one of
the strongest fleets; improved the civil code; founded Academies of Inscriptions,
Science and Architecture.
Having tried to improve all aspects of society, he died bitterly disappointed
as wars and the extravagance of the court undid all that had been achieved.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
