François Leclerc du Tremblay
French Capuchin friar and political adviser
About François Leclerc du Tremblay
Lived 1577 – 1638 (aged 61). François Leclerc du Tremblay was a French politician, diplomat and religious.
François Leclerc du Tremblay is the figure in black, depicted descending the staircase in this oil painting Éminence Grise by Jean-Léon Gérôme.
François Leclerc du Tremblay (4 November 1577 – 17 December 1638), also known as Père Joseph, was a French Capuchin friar, confidant and agent of Cardinal Richelieu. He was the original éminence grise ("gray eminence")—the French term for a powerful advisor or decisionmaker who operates secretly or unofficially.
Biography Leclerc was the eldest son of Jean Leclerc du Tremblay, president of the chamber of requests of the Parlement of Paris, and of Marie Motier de Lafayette.
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped François Leclerc du Tremblay's
Frequently asked questions
Who was François Leclerc du Tremblay?
French Capuchin friar and political adviser (1577–1638)
When was François Leclerc du Tremblay born?
François Leclerc du Tremblay was born on 4 November 1577 in Paris.
When did François Leclerc du Tremblay die?
François Leclerc du Tremblay died on 17 December 1638 in Rueil-Malmaison.
What was François Leclerc du Tremblay's occupation?
François Leclerc du Tremblay was a politician, diplomat and religious.
What nationality was François Leclerc du Tremblay?
François Leclerc du Tremblay was French.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: François Leclerc du Tremblay
· DBpedia: François Leclerc du Tremblay
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). François Leclerc du Tremblay. https://biography.guide/francois-leclerc-du-tremblay/
MLA: "François Leclerc du Tremblay." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/francois-leclerc-du-tremblay/.
Chicago: "François Leclerc du Tremblay." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/francois-leclerc-du-tremblay/.
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