Jean-Baptiste Collin de Sussy (1 January 1750 – 7 July 1826) was a senior official and politician. During the

First French Empire The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Eu ...

he was Director-General of Customs, then Minister of Industry and Commerce.

Life

Collin de Sussy was the receiver of customs after

18 Brumaire The Coup d'état of 18 Brumaire brought Napoleon Bonaparte to power as First Consul of France. In the view of most historians, it ended the French Revolution and led to the Coronation of Napoleon as Emperor. This bloodless ''coup d'état'' overt ...

, year VIII (9 November 1799). He was named prefect of the department of

Drôme Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.

on 7 March 1800, then of

Seine-et-Marne Seine-et-Marne () is a Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region in Northern France. Named after the rivers Seine and Marne (river), Marne, it is the region's largest department with an area of 5,915 square ...

on 28 November 1800. He was then appointed to the Council of State and attached to the Finance section. He was involved in all the important improvements in the customs service. Napoleon noted his administrative ability and used him for special projects on several occasions. In 1804 at

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...

he liquidated the debts of four departments of the Rhine. In 1805 he proposed to the legislative body a project for the general organization of the customs. He developed the plan, which was adopted, and later improved it. Napoleon appointed him director-general of customs and a lifetime member of the Council of State in 1807. Napoleon created the ministry of Ministry of Commerce & Manufacturing to make the ministry of the Interior more manageable. On 15 January 1812 Collin de Sussy was appointed the first Minister of Commerce and Manufacturing. Collin left the office immediately after the fall of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

in 1814. When the emperor returned from his exile on Elba he confirmed Collin as Minister of State, named him a peer of France and first president of the Court of Accounts. After the

Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...

he returned to private life until 5 March 1819, when the king named him a peer of the kingdom.

Death and legacy

Collin died in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

on 7 July 1826. An 1813 portrait of him by Henri-François Riesener is held in the musée national du château de Versaillles et des Trianons. His eldest son, Vicomte Collin de Sussy, fought with the armies of the Alps and of Italy as an engineer. His younger son, Louis, also fought in the Napoleonic war. After peace returned, both sons found positions in the administration.

Distinctions

Distinctions included: * Count of the Empire (letters patent of 16 April 1808) * Peer of France (royal ordinance of 5 March 1819) * Chevalier of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

(decree of 2 October 1803) * Commander of the Legion of Honour (decree of 14 June 1804) * Grand-officer of the Legion of Honour (decree of 30 June 1811) * Grand cross of the

Order of the Reunion The Order of the Reunion (french: link=no, Ordre de la Réunion) was an order of merit of the First French Empire, set up to be awarded to Frenchmen and foreigners to reward services in the civil service, magistracy and army, particularly those fro ...

(3 April 1813)

References

Citations Sources * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Collin de Sussy, Jean-Baptiste 1750 births 1826 deaths French Ministers of Commerce and Manufacturing