René-Louis de Voyer de Paulmy, marquis d'Argenson (October 18, 1694, Paris – January 10, 1757) was a French statesman, son of Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson, the first Marquis d'Argenson, and brother of Marc-Pierre d'Argenson. His son Marc-René served as Minister of War and was a noted bibliophile.
From 1720 to 1724, d'Argenson was Intendant of Hainaut, became privy counsel and from 1744 foreign minister. He negotiated with the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia to form a federation of Italian states. As last representant of the anti-Habsburg faction, he was overturned by intrigues at the Spanish court and appointed president of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.
A friend of Voltaire and the Encyclopedists, and an attendee of the Club de l'Entresol, he turned writing scientific tracts, among them Considérations sur le gouvernement ancien et présent de la France (Amsterdam, 1764), and a tract important for understanding the inner machinations of France, Essais ou loisirs d'un ministre d'état, 2 vols. (Paris, 1787), rich in commentary and descriptions of noteworthy compatriots and anecdotes. His Memoirs are also of value as affecting the early and middle parts of Louis XV's reign.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Adrien Maurice, duc de Noailles |
Foreign Minister of France 19 November 1744 – 10 January 1747 |
Succeeded by Louis Philogène Brûlart, vicomte de Puisieulx |
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.