Pictet de Rochemont, Charles |
| DIPLOMAT, POLITICIAN (SWITZERLAND) |
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BORN 21 Sep 1755, Genève - DIED 28 Dec 1824, Lancy BIRTH NAME Pictet, Charles GRAVE LOCATION Genève, Genève: Cimetière de Plainpalais, Rue des Rois (G-703) |
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Charles Pictet came from an aristocratic family and was educated for a military career. In 1775 he joined the French army and after his return to Geneva in 1788 he worked for the Conseil des Deux Cents. In 1786 he had married Adélaïde Sara de Rochemont. In 1792 he became commander of the Légion genevoise and he became a member of the l'Assemblée nationale. During this time Geneva managed to prevent occupation by the French revolutionary troops for the moment. But the revolution came over Geneva in December, 1792 and in 1794 his brother Jean-François was executed and Charles had house arrest for a year. In 1798 he acquired a property at Lancy. He became a successfull farmer and introduced the culture of maize to Geneva. His agricultural techniques were soon copied. He wrote on agricultural subjects for the Bibliothèque universelle. In 1813 Geneva was liberated by Austrian troops and when republic was restored in 1814 the proclamation was read by Pictet. As a dilomat, he played an important part in the integration of Geneva in Switzerland. He wrote the text of the Swiss declaration of neutrality in 1816. After completing his political mission successfully he returned to Lancy in the summer of 1816. He lived there until his death in 1824. |
| Images |
 The grave of Charles Pictet de Rochemont at the Cimetière de Plainpalais, Genève. Picture by Androom (06 Dec 2007) |
