Jean-Baptiste Marie de Piquet, Marquis of Méjanes

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Signature by the Marquis of Méjanes in 1750
Signature by the Marquis of Méjanes in 1750

Jean-Baptiste Marie de Piquet, Marquis of Méjanes, Lord of Albaron et Saint Vincent, was a French bibliophile, born on 5 August 1729 in Arles [1], and dead on 5 October 1786 in Paris [2].

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[edit] Biography

A student at the Collège Louis-le-Grand, he was known from a very early age for his love of reading and of books, the purchase of which made up for most of his income.

As a First Consul of Arles between 1761 and 1774, Royal Secretary for the court of his birthtown [3], First Consul of Aix-en-Provence and State Prosecutor for Provence in the years 1777-1778, he diligently strove to improve the living standards of his fellow citizens[4]. He spent the last three years of his life in Paris, where he was still concerned with Provence. He was known to be a smart, honest, plain, and modest man [5].

In his will, he bequeathed all his books to Provence, i.e. from 60.000 to 80.000 books, should those books be made accessible to ordinary citizens; he also added a yearly income of 5.000 more Tours pounds for Provence. This bequest led to the public library of Aix-en-Provence (bibliothèque Méjanes).

The Marquis of Méjanes died without descendants, since his 6-month-and-a-half son Joseph Marie Marc Antoine de Piquet died on 4 August 1760. [6].

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Parish Saint Julien
  2. ^ Parish Saint Roch
  3. ^ in 1766 for tax purposes, and again in 1784
  4. ^ He helped set up a farming oragnisation in Arles as well as in Aix, although the latter succumbed to the French Revolution.
  5. ^ Letter by Jean Marie du Lau, Archbishop of Arles, 6 October 1786, and speech by Monseigneur de Boigeslin, Archbishop of Aix, 14 December 1786
  6. ^ Arles, Parish Notre-Dame-la-Principale

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Sources

  • Archives of Arles and regional archives of Bouches-du-Rhône.
  • Généalogie de la Maison de Piquet, by Lord Du Roure, 1907, pages 17-19
  • Nobiliaire d'Arles, by Abbey Bonnemant

[edit] External links

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