Pierre Bénézech, (born inMontpeyroux[1] April 8, 1749, died atCap Français inSaint-Domingue on June 13, 1802) was a French politician.
Before the Revolution, he was the owner of thefr:Petites Affiches, a law gazette. At the same time, he fulfilled the functions of principal resident agent of theEstates of Languedoc in Paris. He also managed the fortune of his wife, who was the widow of Baron Claude Théophile de Boeil.[1]
When theFrench Revolution broke out, Bénézech espoused its principles and became commander of theNational Guard and then administrator of the department ofSeine-et-Oise.[1]
In 1794 he was called by theCommittee of Public Safety to chair the eleventh commission on weapons, powder and mining. He launched a major campaign for the extraction ofsaltpetre, he activated the work of the mines, centralising the arms industry, and creating a munitions factory inVersailles.[1][2]
On November 3, 1795, he was appointedMinister of the Interior under the Directory. In the management of this ministry, he showed organizational talents and great activity. He created councils for agriculture, commerce and the arts, reformed theÉcole polytechnique and the education system[3] and promoted the fine arts, particularly favouring theLouvre over other institutions.[4][5]
He found himself compromised in theGrenelle camp conspiracy, although he was able to prove his innocence. His friendships with some of the most prominent deputies of theClub de Clichy prompted the Directory, on July 14, 1797, to replace him at the Ministry of the Interior withNicolas François de Neufchâteau.[1]
Following thecoup of 18 Brumaire, which he supported, he entered theConseil d'État established by theconsulate but did not play any significant role there.Napoleon entrusted him with the inspection of theTuileries Palace and made him a sort of master of ceremonies and maître d'hôtel of the place.[6]
Uncomfortable in these functions, he asked the First Consul for permission to accompany, as colonial prefect,General Leclerc, who commanded the expedition against Saint-Domingue. Having left with his family, in the hope of asserting the rights he held from his father-in-law over large properties located in this colony, he died there in 1802, shortly after his arrival, ofyellow fever.[7]