What is louis le tonnelier de breteuil?

Louis le Tonnelier de Breteuil (1730-1807) was a French statesman who served as the Minister of War, Minister of the Royal Household, and Minister of Foreign Affairs during the reign of King Louis XVI. He was known for being a loyal supporter of the monarchy and a conservative politician who opposed many of the Enlightenment ideas that were spreading throughout Europe.

Breteuil was born into a noble family in Paris and began his career in government as a young man, serving as an advisor to various ministers and ambassadors. He became a member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1764 and was later appointed as the governor of Versailles, where he became close friends with the future King Louis XVI.

During his time as Minister of War, Breteuil oversaw the modernization of the French army and implemented a number of reforms to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. As Minister of the Royal Household, he was responsible for managing the king's finances and arranging his public appearances and private life.

Breteuil played a controversial role in the events leading up to the French Revolution. He was involved in the affair of the necklace, in which the queen was accused of stealing a valuable necklace, and was seen as a symbol of the corruption and excess of the monarchy. However, he also opposed the radical revolutionary movement and was a vocal critic of the Jacobins, who came to power in 1792.

After the monarchy was abolished and the revolutionary government was established, Breteuil fled France and lived in exile in Germany and England for the rest of his life. He died in London in 1807 at the age of 77.