Thouvenel, Édouard

THOUVENEL, EDOUARD. — French statesman, born in Verdun on 11 November 1818, died in Paris on 10 October 1866.

After pursuing a rapid and brilliant diplomatic career (among other positions, he was ambassador to Constantinople during the Crimean War), on 4 January 1860 he succeeded Walewski as Napoleon III’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and held that office for approximately two years. T. thus found himself directing French foreign policy immediately after the Peace of Zurich (v.), and he immediately understood that it would not be possible to implement the resolutions concerning the establishment of an Italian confederation. He then negotiated with Cavour France’s consent to the annexation of the Duchies, the Legations, and Tuscany to the Kingdom of Sardinia, in exchange for the cession of Nice and Savoy to the Empire; this was achieved through the Treaty of 12 March 1860. He also advocated direct agreements between Turin and the Holy See, whereby Piedmont would guarantee the integrity of the latter’s political boundaries, since he wished to bring an end to the Empire’s armed protection of the Patrimony of St Peter; but his efforts in this direction came to nothing because of the opposition of the government of Rome. With equal unsuccess, he sought to promote joint action by the cabinets of Paris and London

(photo by R. M. Apolloni Ghetti)
THUBURBO MAIUS – Interior of the Christian Basilica (5th century).

to prevent Garibaldi from landing on the mainland after the occupation of Sicily, and protested vigorously against the Sardinian invasion of the Marches and Umbria, breaking off diplomatic relations with Turin, despite the fact that the expedition had been directly authorized by the Emperor. The T. is also to be credited with devising a draft Italo-French agreement concerning the Roman question, along the lines of which the so-called September Convention (v.) was subsequently concluded in 1864. The plan, which had not been implemented in 1861 because of Cavour’s death, was taken up again by T. after Aspromonte; but since Napoleon III then showed himself opposed to it, he tendered his resignation, imitated by numerous French diplomats who shared the minister’s views.