Jean Baptiste Maie Anne Antoine Latil Duke De
Jean Baptiste Maie Anne Antoine Latil Duke De [1]
a French prelate, was born in one of the Isles of Sainte Marguerite, March 6, 1761. Being destined for the ecclesiastical calling, he entered the Seminary of St. Sulpice at Paris, and was ordained priest in 1784. Shortly after be was appointed grand-vicar of the bishop of Vence, who charged him with representing him at the bailiwick assembly of his diocese at the convocation of the States-General. On the breaking-out of the French Revolution Latil refused to take the oath of the civil constitution of the clergy, and withdrew to Coblentz, but in 1792, having returned to France, he was arrested at Montfort l'Amaury, and remained for some time in the prisons of that city. Having recovered his liberty, he retired to Germany, and settled at Dusseldorf, where he devoted himself to preaching. He had determined to set out for America, when the count of Artois sent for him, in 1794, and made him almoner. Latil from this time never left this prince, and at the restoration became his chief almoner. Appointed bishop of Amyclea, in partibus infidelium, he was consecrated April 7,1816; became bishop of Cha,es in 1821, and archbishop of Rheims, August 11, 1824. He consecrated Charles X in the metropolis of Rheims, May 29, 1825. He was made a peer of France in 1823, made count by Charles X, and also minister of state. Pope Leo XII made him cardinal, March 12,1826, and the king gave him the title of duke. The same year he signed the declaration of the clergy of France touching the independence of the temporal power in civil matters. He was accused, however, of being a great partisan of the Jesuits, and of urging Charles X to adopt measures which aided the revolution of July. In view of this Latil fled to England. He soon returned to France and maintained his episcopal see, but refused the oath as peer of France. He died at Geminos in December 1839. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.
