Armand Carrel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1800-07-25)25 July 1800 |
| Died | 8 June 1836(1836-06-08) (aged 36) Paris |
| Cause of death | Duel |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, Editor |
Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Armand Carrel (8 May 1800 – 25 July 1836) was a French journalist and political writer.
He was born atRouen. His father was a wealthy merchant, and he received a liberal education at theLycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen,[1] afterwards attending the military school at St Cyr. He had a deep admiration for the great generals ofNapoleon, and his uncompromising spirit and independent views marked him as a leader. Entering the army as sub-lieutenant, he took a secret but active part in the unsuccessfulBelfort Conspiracy. At the outbreak ofwar with Spain in 1823, Carrel, whose sympathies were with theliberal cause, resigned, and succeeded in escaping toBarcelona. He enrolled in theforeign legion and fought gallantly against his former comrades. The legion was compelled to surrender nearFigueres, and Carrel was taken prisoner by his former general, Damas. There was considerable difficulty about the terms of his capitulation, and one council of war condemned Carrel to death. The sentence was not carried out, and he was soon acquitted and freed.[2]
His career as a soldier being finally over, Carrel decided to devote himself to literature. He went to Paris and began as secretary toAugustin Thierry, the historian. His services were found to be of great value, and he obtained admirable training as a writer, and lead himself to investigate interesting events of British history. His first work of importance (he had already written some historical abstracts) was theHistory of the Counter-Revolution in England, a political study of the events that culminated in the "Glorious Revolution".[2]
He gradually became known as a journalist for various periodicals; but it was not until he formed his connection withLe National, a daily founded in 1830, that he became a power in France. At first,Le National was a collaborative effort byAdolphe Thiers,François Mignet, Auguste Sautelet, and Carrel; but after theJuly Revolution of 1830, Thiers and Mignet assumed office, and the entire management of the publication was left in Carrel's hands. Under his direction the journal became the foremost political organ in Paris. His judgment was unusually clear, his principles solid and well founded, his sincerity and honesty beyond question; and to these qualities, he united an admirable style, lucid, precise and well-balanced.[2]
As the defender of democracy, Carrel faced serious dangers. Once, he was sent toSainte-Pélagie Prison, and he appeared several times before theTribunal of Paris to answer for his journal.[2] In July 1835, he was one of a number of newspaper editors and writers arrested in the aftermath ofGiuseppe Marco Fieschi's attempted assassination of KingLouis Philippe I.[3]
Carrel had previously fought twoduels with editors of rival papers. The third dispute, which led to his duel withÉmile de Girardin was minor, and might have been amicably settled had it not been for Carrel's own obstinacy. The meeting took place on the morning of 22 July 1836 in the Paris suburb ofSaint-Mandé. De Girardin was wounded in the thigh, Carrel in the groin. The wound immediately appeared to be dangerous, and Carrel was carried to the house of a friend where he died two days later, at age 36.
Carrel's works were published in five volumes with biographical notes byÉmile Littré, (Paris, 1858).[2]
In the19th arrondissement of Paris, thePlace Armand-Carrel (in French) and theRue Armand-Carrel (in French) are named after him. The former was named in an 1879 decree.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Carrel, Jean Baptiste Nicolas Armand".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 401.