Favre, Jules

STATESMAN, LAWYER (FRANCE)
BORN 21 Mar 1809, Lyon - DIED 19 Jan 1880, Versailles, Yvelines
GRAVE LOCATION Versailles, Yvelines: Cimetière Notre-Dame , 15 Rue des Missionnaires (I - OUEST - 1G - 7)

Jules Favre came from Lyon. He declared himself a republican in 1830 and working as a lawyer he frequently expressed his own opinions during political trials. In 1848 he was elected for Lyon into the Constituent Assembly as a moderate republican. After Napoleon III became president he openly opposed him and in December 1851 he tried to organise resistance in the streets of Paris.

After Napoleon's coup succeeded he withdrew from politics. In 1858 he defended Felice Orsini who had tried to assasinate Napoleon III. Also in 1858 he became a deputy for Paris and he opposed the expedition to Mexico and the occupation of Rome. In 1867 he was elected into the Académie Française.

After the French defeat against the Germans in 1870 he immediately demanded the deposition of Napoloen III. He served as minister of foreign affairs in the government of National Defence under Trochu. He wasn't a good diplomat and on 28 January 1871 he signed the armistice of Paris without consulting the government at Bordeaux and he blundered by failing to inform Gambetta that the Army of the East was execluded from the armistice. During the negotions with Bismarck he showed little skill and he resigned from his post on 2 August 1871.

In 1876 he became a senator and until his death in 1880 he supported the republican government.

Related persons
• worked for Luchet, Auguste
• was photographed by Nadar
• was opponent of Napoleon III Bonaparte

Events
12/6/1848The French government threatens to arrest Louis Napoleon. He was elected into the National Assembly but the government threatened to arrest him if he would come from England to France. The government referred to the banning of the entire Bonaparte familiy, but Jules Favre wondered how this was possible since Prince Napoleon, Pierre Bonaparte and Lucien Murat had been elected before and were admitted. Louis Blanc and Pierre Joseph Proudhon supported Louis Napoleon as well. After a fake story by Lamartine that the Bonapartists had fired at the National Guard the government received more support, but two days later it became clear that Lamartine had lied. [Bonaparte, Pierre Napoleon][Murat, Lucien, 3e Prince Murat][Napoleon III Bonaparte]
15/6/1848Louis Napoleon gives up his seat at the National Assembly. After much discussions in France whether he was allowed to take his seat he declined it himself. He did this after consternation over his letter from 14 June in which he hadn't used the word republic. The Times had also written that there were strong rumours that a Bonaparte coup would take place. Favre, who had spoken in favour of Louis Napoleon a few days before, now wanted to ask the Minister of Justice if the letter should lead to the prosecution of Louis Napoleon. After he gave up his seat no prosecution took place. [Napoleon III Bonaparte]
24/9/1870Peace negotiations between Bismarck and Favre fail. In the provinces in France the people were enthousiastic about the failure. The people wanted war and the prefects proclaimed 'levée en masse'. 
28/1/1871Paris surrenders to the Germans. Favre capitulated without consulting the government in Bordeaux. He and Bismarck signed an armistice. 
23/7/1871Favre resigns as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He had made several blunders and his position was untenable. He was succeeded by Charles de Rémusat. 

Images

The grave of Jules Favre at the Cimetière Notre-Dame, Versailles.
Picture by Androom (19 Feb 2016)

 

Sources
• Beyern, Bertrand, Guide des Cimetières en France, Le Cherche Midi Éditeur, Paris, 1994
• Vincent, Benjamin, Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, and Universal Information, Ward, Lock & Co, London, 1906
• Ridley, Jasper, Napoleon III and Eugénie, Constable, London, 1979
Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909
Jules Favre - Wikipedia (EN)


Fazy, James

Published: 02 Jul 2016
Last update: 13 Apr 2023