Jean-Baptiste Darlan (10 June 1848 – 8 December 1912) was a French politician who was

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...

in 1896–97.

Early years (1848–80)

Jean-Baptiste Darlan was born on 10 June 1848 in

Podensac Podensac (; oc-gsc, Podençac) is a commune in the Gironde department. It is located in the famous Bordeaux wine region in Nouvelle-Aquitaine (southwestern France). Geography Podensac is located within the Graves vineyards, on the left bank of ...

, Gironde, son of a sea captain. A distant cousin of his had been a sailor on the ship that killed

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

during the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...

. His grandfather was a master mariner. His father owned two ships that sailed between France and Mexico, and was mayor of Podensac. Darlan studied at the ''lycée'' in Bordeaux, then obtained his law degree at the faculty of Paris. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 he was a non-commissioned officer in the forces of

Lot-et-Garonne Lot-et-Garonne (, oc, Òlt e Garona) is a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the rivers Lot and Garonne, it had a population of 331,271 in 2019.Marmande Marmande (; in Occitan language, Occitan, ''Marmanda'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Lot-et-Garonne ''Departments of France, département'' in south-western France. Geography Marmande is located 35 km north-west of Agen, on the ...

. In 1877 he married Marie Marguerite Espagnac, daughter of a

Nérac Nérac (; oc, Nerac, ) is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department, Southwestern France. The composer and organist Louis Raffy was born in Nérac, as was the former Arsenal and Bordeaux footballer Marouane Chamakh, as was Admiral Francois Dar ...

doctor, who brought a substantial dowry. Darlan sold his practice as a notary and set up as an attorney in Nérac. They had two children. Hélène married a ship's captain and

François Darlan Jean Louis Xavier François Darlan (7 August 1881 – 24 December 1942) was a French admiral and political figure. Born in Nérac, Darlan graduated from the ''École navale'' in 1902 and quickly advanced through the ranks following his service d ...

later became an admiral. François was born on 7 August 1881. Marie Marguerite died in 1885 at the age of 34.

Political career (1880–98)

In 1878 Darlan joined the Association from Propagation of Republican Ideas, and became a

freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

. As a member of the

Grand Lodge A Grand Lodge (or Grand Orient or other similar title) is the overarching governing body of a fraternal or other similarly organized group in a given area, usually a city, state, or country. In Freemasonry A Grand Lodge or Grand Orient is the us ...

he progressed through the ranks to become ''Vénérable'' in the lodge ''L'Auguste amitié'' in

Condom A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of in ...

. He became a friend of

Armand Fallières Clément Armand Fallières (; 6 November 1841 – 22 June 1931) was a French statesman who was President of France from 1906 to 1913. He was born at Mézin in the ''département'' of Lot-et-Garonne, France, where his father was clerk of th ...

and of

Georges Leygues Georges Leygues (; 29 October 1856 – 2 September 1933) was a French politician of the Third Republic. During his time as Minister of Marine he worked with the navy's chief of staff Henri Salaun in unsuccessful attempts to gain naval re-arma ...

, who would many years later make his son chief of staff of the Ministry of Marine. In 1880 he became municipal councilor of Nérac, and was mayor of Nérac from 1880–82 and 1888–96. From 1886 to 1898 he was a member of the general council of the

Lot-et-Garonne Lot-et-Garonne (, oc, Òlt e Garona) is a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the rivers Lot and Garonne, it had a population of 331,271 in 2019.Lot-et-Garonne Lot-et-Garonne (, oc, Òlt e Garona) is a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the rivers Lot and Garonne, it had a population of 331,271 in 2019.Jules Méline Félix Jules Méline (; 20 May 183821 December 1925) was a French statesman, Prime Minister of France from 1896 to 1898. Biography Méline was born at Remiremont. Having taken up law as his profession, he was chosen a deputy in 1872, and in 187 ...

, and on 26 September 1896 was also appointed Minister of Religious Affairs. When he was in office there was growing public debate over the

Dreyfus affair The Dreyfus affair (french: affaire Dreyfus, ) was a political scandal that divided the French Third Republic from 1894 until its resolution in 1906. "L'Affaire", as it is known in French, has come to symbolise modern injustice in the Francop ...

. Darlan was opposed to reviewing the trial of 1894.

Auguste Scheurer-Kestner Auguste Scheurer-Kestner (11 February 1833 in Mulhouse (Haut Rhin) – 19 September 1899 in Bagnères-de-Luchon (Haute Garonne)) was a chemist, industrialist, a Protestant and an Alsatian politician. He was the uncle by marriage of the wife o ...

, vice-president of the Senate, became convinced that Dreyfus was innocent and came to see Darlan on 5 November 1896. Darlan said he could not support a premature investigation. On 30 November 1897 Darlan was challenged over the appointment of two magistrates, said to have been made for political reasons, and was censured by the Senate. He resigned the next day. He lost his seat in the general elections of 8–22 May 1898.

Last years (1898–1912)

Darlan was named ''percepteur-receveur'' in Paris in 1899. He died on 8 December 1912 in

, Lot-et-Garonne.

Notes

Sources

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Darlan, Jean-Baptiste 1848 births 1912 deaths People from Gironde Politicians from Nouvelle-Aquitaine French republicans French Ministers of Justice Members of the 5th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 6th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic French Freemasons