LA CHAIZE, FRANÇOIS de. - Confessor and spiritual advisor to Louis XIV, b. 25 Aug. 1624 at Château d'Aix (Forez), d. 20 Jan. 1709 at Paris. He entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in 1639, and soon taught literature, philosophy, and theology at the Collège de la Trinité in Lyons, where he had completed his studies. Later he became rector of the two colleges in Lyons and Provincial; in 1675 Louis XIV summoned him to his side as his confessor and spiritual advisor.
In that difficult situation, the man of God nevertheless succeeded in winning the esteem and complete trust of his penitent. From 1675 to 1680, when Louis XIV could not bring himself to break off his culpable love affairs with Madame de Montespan and Mademoiselle de Fontanges, the father resorted, when necessary—especially at Easter—to “political illnesses” that, however, did not deceive the king. This gentle firmness allowed Queen Maria Teresa to spend her final years in the joy of a renewed harmony with her spouse. Later, when the king married Madame de Maintenon, he always retained a most lively gratitude toward the man who had helped him abandon his misconduct and regain his dignity before the court and the nation.
At the same time, the discreet and often effective influence of the spiritual advisor became evident. He partly succeeded in exposing the intrigues that the Jansenists multiplied at Rome during the pontificate of Innocent XI; but, being a conciliatory spirit, “he never wished—says Saint-Simon—to push matters to the point of destroying Port-Royal des Champs.” He was not favorable to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. He had
Protestants among his friends; after meeting him, Leibniz wrote how precious the memory of those moments of conversation still was to him. If Father L. C. was Gallican, he certainly was in the manner of Bossuet and not that of the parliaments. His mitigated Gallicanism had nothing heterodox about it, and he took no part whatsoever in the drafting of the Four Articles of 1682 (v. GALLICANESIMO).