Louis Napoléon Auguste Lannes, 2nd duc de Montebello (30 July 1801 – 18 July 1874) was a French diplomat and politician.
Born in Paris, he was the son ofJean Lannes, 1stduc de Montebello, Marshal of the Empire, who died from wounds received during theBattle of Essling on 22 May 1809, and his second wife,Antoinette Scholastica Guéhenneuc. He was made apeer of France on 27 January 1827 byCharles X in consideration of services rendered by his father; however, he took his seat at thePalais du Luxembourg (meeting place of the Chamber of Peers) after theRevolution of 1830. In the meantime, he had traveled to the United States, then was attached to the Embassy of France in Rome, with theVicomte de Chateaubriand.
Lannes at first appeared, by his votes, to be linked to theLegitimist faction (which supported the claims to the French throne of the elder line of theHouse of Bourbon), but he was soon to join fully in support of theJuly Monarchy and usually then voted with theDoctrinaires. He spoke in many discussions about press freedom, the hereditary peerage (1831), imprisonment for debt, budget and progress in the army (1832).
Back in diplomacy, Lannes was sent on a mission to Denmark at the Court of Copenhagen (1833), then to Sweden ans shortly after as Minister Plenipotentiary at Berlin. In the Chamber of Peers, he supported the Cousin amendment law repealing the day of mourning in honor ofLouis XVI on 21 January. He supported the platform of Partisan laws of September 1835, and proposed to his colleagues to bring them to the manager of the newspaperLa Tribune.
In 1836, the Duke was appointed as ambassador of France to the Swiss Confederation in place of theMarquis de Rumigny, who was considered too favorable to Swiss liberals. He had conflicting sympathies, his appointment being intended to please Austria, with which France was seeking to get closer both to break its isolation in Europe, and to ensure the marital prospects of PrinceFerdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, the heir to the throne. He obtained, from the confederal authorities, the internment of political refugees who might disturb the security of neighboring states, and the expulsion of PrinceLouis Napoleon (who lived in Swiss territory at the castle ofArenenberg), but how this application was submitted nearly led to war between the two countries.
He was then appointed to represent France in Naples, at the court of theKing of the Two Sicilies,Ferdinand II (1838).
The Duke of Montebello was recalled from Naples on 1 April 1839, replacingLouis-Mathieu Molé as foreign minister in an interim ministry, which was dissolved the following 12 May. He then handed the foreign ministry portfolio toMarshal Soult, Duke of Dalmatia, and returned to the Chamber of Peers where he spoke on literary property, on theLegion of Honour, on the Greek loan, and on child labor in factories.
He returned to Naples as ambassador in 1840, where he negotiated the marriage of theDuke of Aumale withMarie Caroline de Bourbon, Princess of Salerno (1844).
On 9 May 1847, the Duke of Montebello replaced Admiralbaron de Mackau asMinister of Marine and Colonies in theGuizot ministry. He presented, as such a report to the king in which he pronounced against the emancipation of slaves, and several bills relating to the court of assizes in the colonies, the body administering the control and accounts of the Navy and participated in discussions on the budget, land clearing, on the teaching and practice of medicine and pharmacy.
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The Duke of Montebello left government following the Revolution of 1848. However, soon after, as part of a coalition of "old parties", the duke was elected, on 13 May 1849, to the Second Republic's Legislative Assembly. The duke represented the department ofMarne, where he owned large vineyards. Lannes was part of the commission which called for an extension and confined himself to vote consistently with the majority: for the Roman expedition, for the law-Falloux Parieu on free education, and for the restriction of universal suffrage.
He did not immediately support thecoup d'état of 2 December 1851. But he changed his mind and, on 15 February 1858, he was appointed ambassador to Russia instead of Count Rayneval. In this position, where he remained until 1864, he had to negotiate, among other things, the agreement of 6 April 1861, for the reciprocal guarantee works of art and spirit.
By decree of EmperorNapoleon III, on 5 October 1864, he was appointed aSenator. He retired as ambassador on 6 January 1866. He had long represented the canton of Ay in the General Council of the Marne, which was one of the vice-presidents.
He died at Chateau deMareuil-sur-Ay in Marne in 1874, aged 72.
He married Eleanor Jenkinson in 1830, a daughter ofSir Charles Jenkinson. They had two daughters and six sons. One of his brothers wasGustave de Montebello.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Ministers of the Navy and the Colonies 9 May 1847 – 24 February 1848 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Foreign Affairs 31 March 1839 – 12 May 1839 | Succeeded by |
| Regnal titles | ||
| Preceded by | Duc de Montebello 1809–1874 | Succeeded by |
Transitional French cabinet of 1839 (31 March 1839 to 12 May 1839) | ||
|---|---|---|
Head of state: KingLouis Philippe I | ||
| Interior | .svg) | |
| Foreign Affairs | Louis Napoléon Lannes, Duke of Montebello | |
| Justice and Religious Affairs | ||
| War | ||
| Finance | ||
| Navy and Colonies | ||
| Public Education | ||
| Public Works, Agriculture and Commerce | ||
Third cabinet of Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult (29 October 1840 to 19 September 1847) | ||
|---|---|---|
Head of state: KingLouis Philippe I | ||
| President of the council | ||
| War |
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| Interior |
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| Justice and Religious Affairs | ||
| Foreign Affairs | ||
| Finance | ||
| Navy and Colonies |
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| Public Education | ||
| Public Works | ||
| Agriculture and Commerce | ||
Cabinet of François-Pierre Guizot (19 September 1847 to 24 February 1848) | ||
|---|---|---|
Head of state: KingLouis Philippe I | ||
| President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs | ||
| Interior | Tanneguy Duchâtel, sub-secretary of stateAntoine François Passy | |
| Justice and Religious Affairs | ||
| War | Camille Alphonse Trézel, sub-secretary of statePierre Magne | |
| Finance | ||
| Navy and Colonies | Louis Napoléon Lannes, sub-secretary of stateJean Jubelin | |
| Public Education | ||
| Public Works | ||
| Agriculture and Commerce | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
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