Broglie

Broglie, a prominent French family, of Piedmontese origin; its most important members have been the four dukes of the name: (1) FRANÇOIS MARIE, first Due de, marshal of France, born 1671, took part in every campaign from 1689, and died in 1745.—(2) VICTOR FRANÇOIS, his son, born 1718, was the most capable of the French commanders in the Seven Years' War. Made a marshal in 1759, he entered the Russian service after the Revolution, and died in 1804.—(3) ACHILLE CHARLES LÉONCE VICTOR, grandson of the last, and son of Prince Claude Victor (born 1757, guillotined 1794), born in 1785, was distinguished as a Liberal politician and an earnest advocate for the abolition of slavery. He was foreign secretary (1832-34) and prime-minister (1835-36) under Louis-Philippe; after 1851 he lived in retirement, and died in Paris, 25th January 1870. He was a member of the Academy, and published Écrits et Discours (3 vols. 1863), whilst the fourth and last volume of his Souvenirs appeared in 1887.—(4) JACQUES VICTOR ALBERT, his eldest son, born 13th June 1821, early entered the field of literature, and was elected an Academician in 1862. Returned as a deputy in 1871, he was till May 1872 ambassador at London; he then became leader of the Conservative right centre, and with a view to force a monarchical government on France, he brought about the resignation of Thiers, and the election of MacMahon, in 1873. He was twice premier—in 1873-74 and in 1877—resignation being on both occasions forced on him by Gambetta's exposure of his reactionary tactics. His most important works are his orthodox L'Église et L'Empire Romain au IV. Siècle (6 vols. 1856-69), Le Secret du Roi (3d ed. 2 vols. 1879), and two hostile works on Frederick the Great, from family papers (1882 and 1884).