Pierre Hector Chanut (February 22, 1601 inRiom – July 3, 1662 inLivry-sur-Seine) was a civil servant in theAuvergne, a French ambassador in Sweden and theDutch Republic, and state counsellor.[1]
In 1626 Chanut married Marguerite Clerselier and had eight children.[2] Charged byJules Mazarin he resided from 1646 to 1649 at the Swedish court and in Osnabrück, where he negotiated thePeace of Westfalia.[3] His companion Antoine de Courtin became Christina's secretary.
In 1646 Chanut met and corresponded with the philosopherRené Descartes, asking him for a copy of hisMeditations. Upon showingChristina of Sweden some of the letters, the queen became interested in beginning a correspondence with Descartes. She invited him to Sweden, but Descartes was reluctant until she asked him to organize a scientific academy. He resided with Chanut, and finished hisPassions of the Soul. Chanut lived atVästerlånggatan, 450 meters fromTre Kronor (castle) onGamla Stan. There, Chanut and Descartes made observations with aTorricellian barometer, a tube withmercury. Chanut was criticized when he organized a private mass in his house.[4] Descartes died of pneumonia according to Chanut.[5] Over time there have been speculations regarding the death of the philosopher.[6] Theodor Ebert claimed that Descartes did not meet his end by being exposed to the harsh Swedish winter climate, as philosophers have been fond of repeating, but byarsenic poisoning.[7][8][9]
In 1651, duringSecond Northern War, Chanut departed toLübeck to a Congress which had to mediate peace between Sweden and Poland. Peace talks failed, however, and in 1653 Chanut returned to Stockholm. He probably invitedPierre Bourdelot andGabriel Naudé, but departed toThe Hague, where he was appointed as ambassador. In 1655, back in Paris, he becameConseiller d'Etat.
In the summer of 1654, Christina left Sweden and settled in Rome. In August 1656 Christina traveled to Paris. In October, apartments were assigned to her at thePalace of Fontainebleau, where she committed an action which stained her memory – the execution ofmarchese Gian Rinaldo Monaldeschi, her master of the horse.[10] After the murder ofGian Rinaldo Monaldeschi Christina promised Chanut that LudivicoSantinelli and his two helpers would have to leave her court.[11]
His friend and brother-in-lawClaude Clerselier, an editor, inherited all the manuscripts byDescartes in 1662 and published them. HisMémoires et Négociations (Memoirs and Negotiations) were published posthumously (1676); his correspondence is preserved inBibliothèque Nationale in Paris.
