 |
Theodore-Marie-Melchior-Joseph LagrenFrench diplomat.
Date of Birth: 14.03.1800
Country:  France |
Content:
Early Career
From an old Picardy family, he entered the Foreign Ministry at an early age. He was a participant in the Verona Congress of 1822. From 1823-1825, he served as the third secretary of the French embassy in Russia. He later served in Constantinople and Madrid. In 1828, he returned to Russia as the second secretary of the embassy. From 1831, he served as the first secretary.
Mission to China
In September 1834, he was transferred to Darmstadt as Minister-Resident. As an envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, he led the French mission to China. King Louis-Philippe tasked him with securing a trade treaty with China that would grant the same privileges as the Sino-British Treaty of Nanking. On October 24, 1844, at the mouth of the Canton River, Lagerne signed a treaty with the Chinese envoy Qi Ying on the French steam corvette "Archimede." The treaty was ratified in Macau on August 25, 1845. Lagerne also secured the issuance of edicts in the Chinese Empire (1845 and 1846) allowing Chinese people to practice the Christian faith and build churches. He also facilitated France's acquisition of Shanghai.
Political Career
After the fall of the monarchy, Lagerne briefly retired from service. In 1849, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly, where he represented the Somme and joined the conservative majority. He supported restricting voting rights. On December 2, 1851, he was among the representatives who gathered at the town hall of the 10th arrondissement to prevent the coup d'état; that same day, Lagerne was arrested but was soon released.
Personal Life
In 1834, Lagerne married Varvara Ivanovna Dubenskaya (1812-1901), a maid of honor to Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna.
