Louis François Marie Le Tellier

Louis François Marie Le Tellier Marquis of Barbezieux (23 June 1668 – 5 January 1701) was a French statesman.

Biography

Born in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire (Charente), he was the third son of the Marquis de Louvois, War Minister to Louis XIV.

After the death of Louvois, Louis XIV appointed Barbezieux to succeed his father and grandfather, becoming the third Le Tellier to serve Louis XIV at the War Ministry. Although talented, the 23-year-old neglected his office in favour of his pleasures. The King complained to Barbezieux's uncle, Charles-Maurice Le Tellier, Archbishop of Reims that:

Your nephew has talents, but he does not make good use of them. He prefers to dine with princes rather than work. He neglected his affairs for his pleasures. He leaves officers waiting too long in his antechamber; he speaks to them disdainfully and sometimes harshly.

Barbezieux was twice married, firstly in 1691 to Louise de Crussol (died 1694), daughter of Emmanuel II de Crussol, Duc d'Uzès, with whom he had one daughter, Anne-Catherine-Eléonore (died 1716), secondly in 1696 to Marie-Thérèse d'Alègre (died 1706), daughter of Yves d'Alègre, with whom he had two daughters, Marie-Madeleine and Louise Françoise Angélique Le Tellier (died 1718). The latter made a splendid marriage with Emmanuel Théodose de La Tour d'Auvergne, son of the Duke of Bouillon and Marie Anne Mancini. She died giving birth to a son, Godefroy Girault de La Tour d'Auvergne, Duke of Château-Thierry.

Further reading