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 FLEURT

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FLEURY

the body of the founder. No doubt there is much timidity when at the outbreak of the War of the Aus-

fabulous matter in tlie Fleury accounts of the famous trian Succession he wrote a letter to General Konig-

transfer, but we must remember they were written at seek, in which he seemed to apologize for this war.

the time when even good causes were more effectually But, in truth, Fleury was simply anticipating the

defended by introducing the supernatural than by the policy of the renversement des allinnces (breaking up of

most obvious natural explanations. the alliances), which began in 1756, and which by unit-

Miracula Sancti Benedicti. ed. de Certain (Paris, 1858); ing France and Austria was to be more in conformity

VlKKCtlKHD. Souvenirs historiquessurVancimneAbbayede Saint- with the Cltholip tnHitinns nf hntVi pniintriBc TVio

a. t<_.,.,^r„,v« ^n,.i.5„nQ is^isi- Knrum Hisinire lie I'nhhni.f w lui lue i_auiouc iraQitions oi Doiu countTies. ine

opmion of historians like Vandal and Masson with re- gard to this renrersement des alliances, so long the object of criticism, tends to justify Cardinal Fleury. During the period of Fleury's power Jansenism was gaining ground among the masses as a superstitious He was a sect, as is evidenced by the miracles of the deacon Paris,

while among the upper

BmoU-sur-Loire (Organs, 1838); Rocher. Hisloire de Vabbay, RoyaledeS. Benotl-sur-Loire (Orl&ns, 1869); Mabillon, An- nates O.S.B., I; Chamard. Les religues de S. BenoU (Paris. 1882); Tosrl. tr. Woods, Saint Benedict (London. 1896).

Anscar Vonier.

26

Fleury, Andre-Hercule de, b. at Lodeve, June, 1653; d. at Paris, 29 January, 1743 prot^g^ of Cardinal de Bonzi and became chaplain to Maria Theresa in 1679, and to Louis XIV in 1683. He was appointed Bishop of Fr^jus in 1698, but resigned the see in 1715, when he received the Abbey of Tournus and was ap- pointed tutor to the young Louis XV. Naturally cold and imperturbable, he re- mained in the back- ground during the regency. When Louis XV attained his ma- jority in 1723, it was at the instance of Fleury that the Due de Bourbon was made prime minister, and quarrelling with the duke, Fleury pre- tended to retire to Issy. Louis XV, how- ever, who admired and loved his tutor, sent the duke into exile, and entrusted the government to Fleury. True to his habits of discretion, and accustomed, as Duclos says, "to bridle the envious", he never a.ssumed the title of prime minister. He was made cardinal

in September, 1726, and until his death remained the guiding spirit in French politics.

Comparing the three cardinals, d'Argenson said: "Richelieu bled France, Mazarin purged it, and Fleury put it on a diet". He alluded in this banter- ing way to the cardinal's policy of economy which

Andre-Hercule Cardinal de Flecrt Painted by Jacques Autreau — Engraved hy H. S. Thomassin

classes it took shape as a political faction. l''leury was the min- ister who had to con- tend with a Jansenist opposition in the Par- liament of Paris. He reserved to royal au- thority all matters relating to the Jan- senists, one conse- quence of which was a " strike " on the part of the magist rates and lawyers, which Fleury repressed by certain measures of severity. He became a member of the Academy in 1717 and was the first to propose sending a scientific expedition to the far north and to Peru to measure the degrees of the meridian.

MARAIs.MpmoVres (Paris, 1H63-68); Barbier, Jour- nal historique (Paris, IS. 5 7); D'Argenson Journal (Paris, 1859-67); Duclos, Memoires secrets (I'aris. 1791); Lacre- Ti i.LE. Histoire de France pnidantle IS' siede (Pans, IsliO); JoBEZ. La France .■,„„>: L„„ii! XV (Paris, istil-7;ii; DucDE Broq- L! K, I.' I '>! ritinal de Fleury et la I'ra^vuatique imperiale in Revue historique (1882)

Georges Gotau.

Fleury, Claude, Church historian and educator; b. at Paris, 6 December, 1640; d. 14 July, 1725. The son of a lawyer from Normandy, he received a tho- rough education at the renowned Jesuit College of Clermont, devoted himself subsequently to legal stud- ies, and in 1658 was called to the bar at the very early among other drawbacks, retarded the development of age of eighteen. For nine years he applied himself the French military marine at the very period when earnestly to his calling and continued his studies in the mercantile marine, thanks to private enterprise, jurisprudence, but interested himself also in history, was making considerable progress. In spite of this, literature, and archaeology. Signally gifted, indus- however, Fleury had the qualities of a great minister, trious, and of a gentle disposition, he soon won for him- He was the first to foresee that France would not self the patronage of the great. He frequented the always be at enmity with the Hapsburgs. In con- house of M. de Montmor and the salon of Guillaume de nexion with the Polish succession and the Duchy of Lamoignon, first president of the Parlement of Paris, Lorraine, he availed himself of the able advice of the where he met the intellectual celebrities of France, diplomat Chauvelin, when it became necessary to play Bossuet, Bourdaloue, Boileau, etc. His deeply reli- a cautious game with Austria. But, as Vandal says, gious spirit and his leaning towards a life of quiet re- the policy of Chauvelin was that of the past. Fleury, tirement led him to form the resolution to abandon in redoubling his efforts to bring about as quickly as the law, to study theology, and to embrace the priestly possible pleasant relations between the King of calling. The date of his ordination is unknown, but it France and the emperor, was the precursor of Choiseul, certainly took place before 1672, when, at Bossuet's Vergennes, and Talleyrand. He was accused of suggestion, he was appointed tutor (sous-pr^cepteur)