Jean Moreau de Séchelles (French:[mɔʁodəseʃɛl]; 10 May 1690 – 31 December 1760) was a French official and politician. TheSeychelles Islands were named in his honor.
Made amaître des requêtes on 13 October 1719, he was theintendant ofHainaut inValenciennes from 1727 to 1743. He was the intendant ofLille from 1743 to 1754, while simultaneously the intendant ofFlanders from May 1745 until 18 October 1748 during its French occupation.
He was named thecontroller-general of finances, replacingJean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville on 20 July 1754. He served this function until 24 April 1756. He pursued a daring economic policy, borderingliberalism, while trying to straighten out the royal finances. Having the king's confidence as theminister of state in 1755, he was consulted about the reversal of alliances fromPrussia toAustria. After suffering astroke in March 1756, his son-in-lawFrançois Marie Peyrenc de Moras was designated byLouis XV to replace him.
He was made an honorary member of theFrench Academy of Sciences on 14 July 1755, its vice-president in 1756, and its president in 1757.
In 1710, he bought the land ofCuvilly inOise, which had belonged to the lords of Séchelles. There he constructed a modern château in place of the feudal castle. He was consequently called "Moreau de Séchelles."
TheSeychelles islands, ceded to theFrench East India Company in 1756, were named in his honor.
His daughter Marie Hélène Moreau de Séchelles (1715-1798) marriedRené Hérault, the lieutenant general of police of Paris. From this marriage cameJean-Baptiste Martin Hérault de Séchelles, childhood friend ofLouis-Antoine de Bougainville and father of the politicianMarie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles.
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