BARB-MARBOIS, FRANOIS, MARQUIS DE

born Jan. 31, 1745, Metz, Fr. died Jan. 14, 1837, Paris French statesman who in 1803 negotiated the Louisiana Purchase by the United States. After serving as a diplomat in Germany and with the American colonists, Barb-Marbois was an intendant of Santo Domingo (178589). Returning to France, he became a deputy in the Council of Ancients (179597) but was exiled later as a monarchist to French Guiana (179799). Recalled to France in 1800, he became minister of the treasury and, as such, negotiated the sale of Louisiana to the United States, getting a better price than had been expected. Napoleon dismissed him in 1806 because his excessive advances to contractors in 1805 had caused a grave financial crisis. He was, however, appointed first president of the Cour des Comptes (an administrative court handling public accounts of the country) in 1808 and was made a senator and a count in 1813. When Napoleon's fall became likely, Barb-Marbois hastily and successfully attached himself to the Bourbons and was made a peer of France (1814), a minister of justice (181516), a marquis (1817), and again president of the Cour des Comptes (181634). In 1834 he switched his loyalties to the July Monarchy of 1830.