Antoine Crozat


Antoine Crozat, Marquis du Châtel, French founder of an immense fortune, was the first proprietary owner of French Louisiana, from 1712 to 1717.

Career

Antoine Crozat and his brother Pierre Crozat were born in Toulouse, France, the sons of a wealthy banking family. They moved to Paris around 1700 and rose from obscurity to become two of the wealthiest financiers of France. By way of lending money to the government, Antoine was ennobled as the Marquis du Châtel, a title he transmitted to his eldest son Louis-François. He became a financial counselor to Louis XIV. He invested in the Guinea Company and the Asiento Company, two lucrative overseas franchises. The king eventually offered him a 15‑year trade monopoly in Louisiana. The monopoly was transferred to the Scottish businessman John Law in 1717.

Personal life

In 1690 Antoine Crozat married Marguerite Legendre. They had four children:
In 1708 Antoine Crozat built a notable hôtel particulier on the Place Vendôme to the designs of the architect Pierre Bullet. It became part of the Hôtel Ritz Paris in 1910.