François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois

French politician. Eldest son of Minister of State Le Tellier. In 1662, he succeeded his father as Minister of the Army, took control of military administration with his family, and won the trust of King Louis XIV as a driving force behind his policy of subjugating the continent, becoming Minister of State in 1672. In 1675, he planned the construction of a permanent royal army, and had the royal government's military inspectors intervene in the individual armies that had previously belonged to high-ranking nobles and mercenary captains. He also paved the way for commoners to be promoted to high ranks, and in 1688 he established an army based on conscription. This was a militia system in which a certain number of militia were conscripted from each village and trained for a certain period of time. He also established an artillery school and the Invalides of Paris, and improved the military system. He opposed his political rival Colbert, and was appointed Minister of Posts in 1668 and Minister of Architecture, Engineering and Industry in 1683, expanding his influence and expanding into foreign affairs, forcing through a policy of annexation. He was a stubborn and ruthless man, and pursued a policy of forcing the dragoons to convert to Protestantism, repealing the Royal Decree of Nantes in 1685, and destroying and plundering the Palatinate that he invaded, triggering the Palatinate War (War of the Augsburg League). In the midst of this war, when the King's trust in him had waned, he died of a stroke on July 16, 1691.

[Haruo Chiba]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フランスの政治家。国務卿(きょう)ル・テリエの長子。1662年、陸軍卿の職を父から継承、軍政を一門で掌握し、ルイ14世の大陸制圧政策の推進役として王の信頼をかちえ、1672年国務卿となった。1675年、恒久的な王国軍隊の建設を企画し、従来大貴族や傭兵(ようへい)隊長に帰属していた個々の軍隊に、国王政府の軍隊監察官を介入させ、また平民出身者の高官昇進への途を開き、1688年には徴兵制による軍隊を創設した。それは、村ごとに一定の民兵を徴集し、一定期間訓練を行うという民兵制度であった。そのほか、砲術学校やパリ廃兵院を創設し、軍制を整備した。政敵コルベールに対抗し、1668年に郵政長官、1683年建築・技術・工業長官を兼任して勢力を伸ばし、外政にも手を広げ、併合政策を強行した。性格は強情で冷酷なところがあり、竜騎兵の新教徒改宗強要政策を進め、1685年ナントの王令（勅令）を廃止させ、また侵略したプファルツ地方を破壊、略奪して、プファルツ戦争（アウクスブルク同盟戦争）を誘発した。この戦争のさなか、国王の信頼も薄れたとき、1691年7月16日、脳卒中で死去した。

［千葉治男］

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