Théophraste Renaudot

Théophraste Renaudot (; December 158625 October 1653) was a French physician, philanthropist, and journalist.

Born in Loudun, Renaudot received a doctorate of medicine from the University of Montpellier in 1606. He returned to Loudon where he met Cardinal Richelieu and Père Joseph. In the 1610s, Richelieu became more powerful and in 1612 he summoned Renaudot to Paris, partly because of his medical reputation, but more because of his philanthropy. Renaudot, born a Protestant, converted to Catholicism. He became the physician and councillor to Louis XIII.

As part of his duties, Renaudot was asked to organize a scheme of public assistance. Many difficulties were put in his way, however, and he therefore returned until 1624 to Poitou, where Richelieu made him "commissary general of the poor."