Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes

The Count of Vergennes
Charles de Vergennes, by Antoine-François Callet
Chief Minister of the French Monarch
In office 21 November 1781 – 13 February 1787
Monarch	Louis XVI
Preceded by	Count of Maurepas
Succeeded by	Archbishop de Brienne
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 21 July 1774 – 13 February 1787
Monarch	Louis XVI
Preceded by	Henri Bertin
Succeeded by	Count of Montmorin
Ambassador of France to the Ottoman Empire
In office 1755–1768
Monarch	Louis XV
Preceded by	Pierre Puchot
Succeeded by	Count of Saint-Priest
Ambassador of France to the Kingdom of Sweden
In office 1771–1774
Monarch	Louis XV
Preceded by	François de Modène
Succeeded by	Pierre d'Usson de Bonnac
Personal details
Born	(1719-12-29)29 December 1719 Dijon, France
Died	13 February 1787(1787-02-13) (aged 67) Versailles, France
Political party	Non-partisan
Spouse	Anne Duvivier ​ (m. 1730⁠–⁠1787)​
Children	Constantin Louis
Profession	Diplomat, statesman
Signature

Gravier de Vergennes Famille Gravier de Vergennes
Noble family
Parti : au I, de gueules à 3 oiseaux essorants d'argent, ceux en chef affrontés ; au II, de gueules à la croix d'argent et sur laquelle broche (en cœur), un écusson de sable à un cep de sinople et au chef d'azur chargé d'un soleil d'or.
Arms of the Count of Vergennes as member of the Order of the Holy Spirit

Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes (French pronunciation: [vɛʁ.ʒɛn]; 29 December 1719 – 13 February 1787) was a French statesman and diplomat. He served as Foreign Minister from 1774 to 1787 during the reign of Louis XVI, notably during the American War of Independence.

Vergennes rose through the ranks of the diplomatic service during postings in Portugal and Germany before receiving the important post of Envoy to the Ottoman Empire in 1755. While there he oversaw complex negotiations that resulted from the Diplomatic Revolution before being recalled in 1768. After assisting a pro-French faction to take power in Sweden, he returned home and was promoted to foreign minister.

Vergennes hoped that by giving French aid to the American revolutionaries he would be able to weaken British dominance of the international stage, in the wake of that kingdom's victory over France in the recent Seven Years' War. Alliance with the revolutionaries produced mixed results for France as, despite helping to defeat Britain and secure American independence, he extracted little material gain from the war and the costs of fighting further damaged the already weakened French royal finances in the years before the French Revolution.

In part as a result of his efforts in crafting the American alliance, Vergennes became a dominant figure in French politics during the 1780s. He died on the eve of the revolution in his own nation.