Jean-Baptiste Esménard (1772–1842) was a French journalist during the

Napoleonic era The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...

. He was brother to the poet Joseph-Alphonse Esménard and uncle of the artists

Inès Esménard Inès Esménard (1789–1859), sometimes known as Inès d’Esménard, was a 19th century French painter and portrait miniature , portrait miniaturist. Biography Inès Esménard was born in Paris, one of three daughters of the poet Joseph-Alpho ...

and Nathalie Elma d'Esménard.

Life

At age 20, Esménard was a soldier who left France in 1792 to settle in

Bourbon Spain Bourbon may refer to: Food and drink * Bourbon whiskey, an American whiskey made using a corn-based mash * Bourbon, a beer produced by Brasseries de Bourbon * Bourbon biscuit, a chocolate sandwich biscuit * Bourbon coffee, a type of coffee ma ...

, where he remained until the outbreak of the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

.Larriba, Elisabel
''Jean-Baptiste-Esménard (1771–1842): un francés españolizado defensor de los exiliados españoles y de su cultura''
There he supported

Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...

, who reigned in Spain as King Joseph I from 1808 to 1813; but when Joseph I was defeated he returned to France. He was imprisoned in the Force Prison from 1810 to 1814 for his role in a

Legitimist The Legitimists () are royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession to the French crown of the descendants of the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They reject the claim of t ...

plot. Esménard went on to become a journalist, contributing to ''

Gazette de France (), originally , was the first weekly magazine published in France. It was founded by Théophraste Renaudot and published its first edition on 30 May 1631. It progressively became the mouthpiece of one royalist faction, the Legitimists. Pascal O ...

'', ''

La Quotidienne ''La Quotidienne'' () was a French Royalist newspaper. History It was set up in 1790 by M. de Coutouly. It ceased publication in the face of events in 1792, before returning to print in July 1794 under the title ''Le Tableau de Paris'', returning ...

'', ''

Journal des Débats The ''Journal des débats'' (, ''Journal of Debates'') was a French newspaper, published between 1789 and 1944 that changed title several times. Created shortly after the first meeting of the Estates-General of 1789, it was, after the outbreak ...

'' and ''

Mercure Mercure may refer to: * MERCURE, an atmospheric dispersion modelling CFD code developed by Électricité de France * Mercure Hotels, a chain of hotels run by Accor * French ship ''Mercure'' (1783) * Dassault Mercure, a French airliner built in t ...

'', and working as a translator. He translated a large part of the memoirs of the Spanish diplomat

Manuel Godoy Manuel de Godoy y Álvarez de Faria Ríos (12 May 1767 – 4 October 1851), 1st ''Prince of the Peace'', 1st ''Duke of Alcudia'', 1st ''Duke of Sueca'', 1st ''Baron of Mascalbó'', was the First Secretary of State of the Kingdom of Spain from ...

. In the 1836 English edition of this book, he is credited as editor and as author of the 65-page introduction, with his rank given as lieutenant-colonel.Esménard, Jean-Baptiste Esménard, ed., ''Memoirs of Don Manuel de Godoy'' (London: Richard Bentley, 1836]

References

External links

Jean-Baptiste Esménard, ed.
Memoirs of Don Manuel de Godoy
(London: Richard Bentley, 1836) {{DEFAULTSORT:Esmenard French journalists People of the First French Empire 1772 births 1842 deaths