Michel Begon ( Fr. Michel Bégon ); also Michel Begon Sr. , or Michel Begon the Quartermaster , or Michel Begon V ( 1638 , Blois - 1710 , Rochefort ), - the French Quartermaster of the colonies and navy; Begonia plant is named after him.
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- It should not be confused with his full namesakes: with his younger brother Michel Begon de Montfermeil (b. 1655) and with his son (1667-1747), quartermaster of New France (Canada).
Content
Biography
The Begon family was a famous noble family that came from Brittany and lived in Blois since the 16th century. The youth of Michel Begon V was held in Blois, in a house bought in 1643 by Michel Begon IV.
The boy received home education, and then studied at the Jesuit College. Having received the title of Master of Jurisprudence in Paris, Michel became deputy judge in Blois on December 13, 1662, and then, on May 1, 1667, as a city judge. February 16, 1665 became engaged to Madeleine Druyon, daughter of Pierre Druyon.
Progress in the career of Michel Begon V began after his niece became the wife of Minister Colbert . In 1677 he held the post of treasurer of the fleet in Toulon , was the commissioner of the ministry in Brest ( 1680 ), then in Le Havre ( 1681 ).
In 1682 he was appointed quartermaster of the French colonies in the Caribbean and arrived in Martinique in November 1682. In 1683 he made an inspection tour of the islands, including including Santo Domingo, which was then called the island of Haiti (August - December 1684 ). Begon compiled a catalog of all the plants that grow on the Antilles , contributed to the development of new crops and plowing of land. Seeing that the island of Santo Domingo was held in possession of France only thanks to the pirates who were here, he believed that France should not fight the pirates of the Caribbean , but support them and direct their actions against Spain and Great Britain.
He returned to Martinique in January 1685 and returned to France the same spring. Then he was fleet commander in Marseille (1685), in Rochefort ( 1688 ). Contributed to the development of the ports of Rochefort and La Rochelle .
As the fleet commander in Marseille, Begon initiates a trip to the Antilles by the botanist of the monk Charles Plumeier to collect the plants there. After his return, Plume publishes a "Description of the Plants of America with their drawings." By the name of Michel Begon, Plume called one of the plants discovered by him begonia .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 BNF identifier : Open Data Platform 2011.
- ↑ 1 2 SNAC - 2010.
Literature
- Yvonne Bezard - Fonctionnaires maritimes et coloniaux sous Louis XIV: LES BEGON - Editions Albin-Michel - 1932-330 pages - Arbre généalogique - 16 gravures