Nicolas Desmarets

Nicolas Desmaretz, marquis de Maillebois (10 September 1648, Paris – 4 May 1721, Paris) was a French Controller-General of Finances during the reign of Louis XIV.

Desmaretz was a nephew of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Taken out of school at age 15 to work in his uncle's offices as Controller-General of Finances, he rose to become an intendant of finances in 1678 and his uncle's principal assistant in 1683. In these last functions he had to treat with the financiers for the coinage of new silver pieces of four sous. The situation was exceedingly grave. The revenues of 1708 fell far short of expenses, and a 1709 famine reduced the return from taxes even more. Yet Desmarets's reputation renewed the credit of the state, and financiers consented to advance money they had refused to the king.