Théodore Pescatore (6 February 1802 – 23 August 1878) was a

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

ish politician. One of the most important liberals in the mid-19th century,Mersch (1949), p. 506 he was president of the

Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

that wrote Luxembourg's Constitution in 1848. He later held the position of President of the Chamber of Deputies for two years. Pescatore studied law at the

University of Liège The University of Liège (), or ULiège, is a major public university of the French Community of Belgium founded in 1817 and based in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French (language), French. History The university was foun ...

, but, instead of pursuing a career in the law, Pescatore attended a military academy in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, and, upon returning to Luxembourg, in 1827, he was recruited as a lieutenant into the guard of

Luxembourg City Luxembourg (; ; ), also known as Luxembourg City ( or ; ; or ), is the capital city of Luxembourg and the Communes of Luxembourg, country's most populous commune. Standing at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers in southern Luxe ...

. However, after three years, Pescatore's anti- Orangist and pro- Belgian political sympathies forced him out of the military. Instead, he joined with his cousins to set up a

faience Faience or faïence (; ) is the general English language term for fine tin-glazed pottery. The invention of a white Ceramic glaze, pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an stannous oxide, oxide of tin to the Slip (c ...

factory in Eich, where his brother was mayor. After seven years, they

merged Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...

into the ''Société d'industrie luxembourgeoise'', and Pescatore helped set up ''Auguste Metz & Cie'' with

Auguste Metz Jean-Antoine Auguste Metz (8 August 1812 – 22 June 1854) was a Luxembourgish entrepreneur, politician, and lawyer. He was a major player in the growing steel industry in Luxembourg during the nineteenth century, as well as a leading liberal me ...

and his brothers

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...

and

Norbert Norbert is a Germanic given name and infrequent surname, from '' nord'' "north" and ''berht'' "bright". People with the given name Academia * Norbert Angermann (born 1936), German historian * Norbert A’Campo (born 1941), Swiss mathematician * ...

.Mersch (1963), p. 550 In 1841, he was appointed to the 'Commission of Nine' in

the Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

that advised the

King-Grand Duke The designation of King-Grand Duke was held by the three monarchs of the House of Orange-Nassau that ruled Luxembourg and the Netherlands in personal union, between 1815 and 1890. These monarchs thus held the titles of King of the Netherlands and G ...

on the Luxembourgian issues, including the drafting of a constitution.Mersch (1949), p. 507 From 30 October 1841, he was a member of the

Assembly of Estates The Assembly of Estates (, ) was the legislature of Luxembourg from 1841 to 1848, and again from 1856 to 1868. Background and role The Congress of Vienna awarded the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to the King of the Netherlands in personal union, as hi ...

for

Mersch Mersch (, ; ) is a commune and town in central Luxembourg, situated in the canton of the same name. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Alzette, Mamer and Eisch. , the town of Mersch, which lies in the centre of the commune, ha ...

, and entered the Commission of Government under the governor,

Gaspard-Théodore-Ignace de la Fontaine Gaspard-Théodore-Ignace de la Fontaine (; 6 January 1787 – 11 February 1871)Thewes (2011), p. 15 was a Luxembourgish politician and jurist. He led the Orangist movement and was the first prime minister of Luxembourg, serving for four months, ...

. Pescatore was charged with negotiating a treaty on the terms of Luxembourg's membership of the

Zollverein The (), or German Customs Union, was a coalition of States of the German Confederation, German states formed to manage tariffs and economic policies within their territories. Organized by the 1833 treaties, it formally started on 1 January 1 ...

, in place of F. H. W. de Scherff, who had fallen ill.Mersch (1949), p. 508 He was elected to the 1848

, representing Luxembourg canton. Appointed the first chair of the constituent assembly, he advocated heavy involvement with the

Frankfurt Parliament The Frankfurt National Assembly () was the first freely elected parliament for all German Confederation, German states, including the German-populated areas of the Austrian Empire, elected on 1 May 1848 (see German federal election, 1848). The ...

. In the elections to the first

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...

after the promulgation of the constitution, Pescatore ran for Luxembourg canton, and found himself in the unique position of being top of the electoral lists of all three parties.Mersch (1949), p. 509 Despite having been in government before 1848, he showed no interest in returning afterwards, and remained a legislator, being elected vice-president of the chamber in 1852, with Charles Metz as president. With the death of Metz the following year, Pescatore became the new president of the chamber, whilst the Willmar government was replaced by one under

Charles-Mathias Simons Charles-''Mathias'' Simons (27 March 1802 – 5 October 1874)Thewes (2011), p. 27 was a Luxembourgish politician and jurist. He was served as prime minister of Luxembourg for seven years, from 1853 until 1860. He received his Doctorate of L ...

. However, with the death of Auguste Metz in 1855, and the subsequent retirement of Charles Metz, the radicals that formed Pescatore's support base withered, and he was replaced as president of the chamber by

Victor de Tornaco Baron Victor de Tornaco (; 5 July 1805 – 26 September 1875) was a Luxembourgish politician. An Orangist, he served as prime minister of Luxembourg for seven years, from 26 September 1860 until 3 December 1867. Family His parents were ...

.Mersch (1949), p. 510 He decided to resign as deputy as well, but returned when re-elected at the head of the liberals' list in Luxembourg canton on 30 November 1857.Mersch (1949), p. 510 He returned as president of the Chamber, being elected by 21 votes to 3.Mersch (1949), p. 511 He held this position until 1866, when he stood down as president, and he retired as a deputy in 1869.Mersch (1949), p. 512 Pescatore died on 23 August 1878 after a long illness.

Footnotes

References

* * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Pescatore, Theodore Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg) Members of the Constituent Assembly of Luxembourg Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg) Luxembourgian businesspeople Luxembourgian liberal politicians 1802 births 1878 deaths People from Luxembourg City 19th-century Luxembourgian politicians