Antoine Pâris

Antoine Pâris, known as (“the Great Pâris”) (February 9, 1668, Moirans - July 29, 1734, Sampigny) was the eldest of the four Pâris brothers, who were all financiers during the reign of Louis XV.

Early career After studying law in Grenoble with his brother Claude, he became a lawyer in the :fr:Parlement du Dauphiné where he established a valuable network of contacts with the nobility of the province. In 1692, with his other brother Antoine, he was in charge of supplies to the military encampment at Sablons. In 1693, he was able to source a thousand mules and three thousand bags in the Vivarais, allowing him to supply the royal army during the siege of Montmélian.

The famine of 1693-1694 During the great famine of 1693-1694 Antoine Paris was entrusted with supplying the population of Dauphiné, using logistical approaches developed during military campaigns.

In 1723, the Pâris brothers became involved in a scandal that precipitated the fall of the Secretary of State for War Claude Le Blanc. The affair began with them conducting an investigation into the financial affairs of an ally of John Law, the Treasurer of the Extraordinary of Wars, :fr:Gérard Michel de La Jonchère. The Pâris brothers accused him of embezzling 12 to 13 million livres, claiming that in 1720 they had given him cash to fund officers’ pay, but that he had kept the cash and distributed notes instead, pocketing the difference. La Jonchère was arrested and taken to the Bastille where he remained for several months, before eventually being acquitted. The Duke of Bourbon then stirred up a cabal against La Jonchère's patron, Claude Le Blanc, and accused him of having embezzled funds from the Ministry of War.

Antoine Pâris thus made powerful enemies who would eventually end his career. The enemies of the Pâris brothers accused them in 1725 of having, shipped large quantities of wheat abroad in 1722 and then brought it back into France to resell it there at an exorbitant price.

On June 11, 1726 Cardinal Fleury assumed control of the French government and the Pâris brothers were exiled again; they were deemed too powerful in Paris and suspected of operating a cartel over the grain market. Antoine was exiled to residence in Sampigny, he did not leave his lands in Lorraine, where he died at the age of 65 in his castle on July 29, 1733.