MAIGROT, CHARLES. — Born in Paris in 1652, died in Rome on 28 February 1730. Ordained a priest in 1676 and awarded a doctorate at the Sorbonne in 1678, he entered the Seminary of the Foreign Missions of Paris in 1680 and on 19 January 1681 departed for China, where he arrived in 1683 with Mgr. Pallu, who, on 23 July 1684, appointed him pro-vicar for Fukien, Kiang-si, and Chekiang. Upon the death of Mgr. Pallu, on 29 October 1684 he became administrator of the missions of China, and on 5 February 1687 was appointed apostolic vicar of Fukien.
On 26 March 1693 M. Chinese rites (v.) and, following the opposition of some missionaries, sent copies of the prohibitions he had issued to Rome. The Holy See pronounced its decision ten years later; in the meantime, M. received a brief (15 January 1697) congratulating him on his zeal in maintaining the purity of the faith. The previous year (20 October 1696) he had been appointed titular bishop of Conon and once again apostolic vicar of Fukien. He received episcopal consecration on 14 March 1700 in Kiang-si (Chekiang). On 20 November 1704, a decree of the Holy Office approved the prohibitions established by M. This decree was notified to the missionaries of China by De Tournon, who had brought M. a laudatory brief from the Pope dated 20 June 1702. In 1706 M. went to Peking at the invitation of the emperor Kang-hi, who ordered him to write down everything in the teachings of Confucius that he judged contrary to the Christian religion. The Emperor responded by exiling him, and on 8 March 1707 M. embarked for Europe. On 4 May 1708 he resigned from the office of apostolic vicar of Fukien, and in 1709 went to Rome at the invitation of Clement XI, where he died. He was buried in the church of the Trinità dei Monti.