Louis-Augustus Devreux
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Louis-Augustus Devreux | |
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| 5th Consul of Midrasia | |
| In office 5 September 1693 – 23 October 1748 | |
| Preceded by | Abraham Cornellà |
| Succeeded by | Medoro Devreux |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 September 1671 Lotrič, Midrasia |
| Died | 23 October 1748 Lotrič, Midrasia |
| Resting place | Mausoleum of the Old Republic, Publica, Midrasia |
| Nationality | Midrasian |
| Spouse | Rosaline de Skaer (m.1697) |
| Children | Medoro Devreux Alicia • Guillame • Antoine |
| Parent(s) | Henri Devreux II Phillipa Countess of Noulit |
Louis-Augustus Devreux (Midrasian: Luix-Auguste Devreux) (15 September 1671 – 23 October 1748), also known as Louis the Victor or the Red Prince, was a Midrasian statesman and military leader who served as the Fifth Consul of Midrasia during the period of the Old Republic. Louis-Augustus was responsible for Midrasia's rise as the pre-eminent power of continental Asura through his many military victories against the Commonwealth of the North and various internal reforms in both the country's administration and bureaucracy. Though Louis-Augustus endured a turbulent political situation upon his accession to the Consulship, he is today regarded as one of the most influential and powerful figures in Midrasian and Asuran history.
Born to the wealthy and politically powerful Devreux family, Louis appeared destined to play a major role within the Midrasian state. However, Louis' brother Maximilien was initially first in line to succeed to the head of the household, forcing Louis into the military to pursue his career. Yet, the assassination of Maximilien by radical members of the Parliamentarian faction propelled Louis to a position of prominence within both the household and Midrasian political life. Through his military service and political savviness, Louis was able to build public support against the parliamentary faction, forcing the abdication of Abraham Cornellà and ensuring his own election to the position of Consul.
Under the military leadership of Louis-Augustus, Midrasia was able to break away from its insular republican attitude, forging powerful alliances with Aleia and tir Lhaeraidd to counterbalance the power of the Commonwealth of the North. Key victories in the Third and Fourth Mydro-Commonwealth Wars were able to cripple Midrasia's northern neighbour and saw the reconquest of much of province of Padania. Louis-Augustus was also able to form a pact of friendship with Ardaima towards the end of his reign, signing the International Waterway Pact with the Kingdom, ending the various naval conflicts between the two powers and establishing a precedent for maritime law which remains to this day. Louis-Augustus' reforms covered the military, bureaucracy and provincial administration and allowed for the creation of modern civil service and tax collection authorities capable of funding a significant standing army. The naval reforms of Louis-Augustus also laid the groundworks for the later reforms of Napoleone d'Albani and allowed for the country to greatly increase the size of its fleet and its colonial reach.
Despite the successes of Louis-Augustus, the Consul remained despised by many within the radical Parliamentary faction for his membership of the Devreuxan household and earlier campaign against Abraham Cornellà. On the night of the 23 October 1748, whilst returning from a council meeting, Louis-Augustus was ambushed by a group of radicals and assassinated. Following his death, Louis-Augustus was interred at the Mausoleum of the Old Republic in Publica, along with the preceding Consuls.
Early Life
Louis-Augustus Devreux was born as Louis Devreux to Henri Devreux II and Phillipa Countess of Noulit on 15 September 1671 at the family's manor in Lotrič. The third child out of five, Louis' childhood was mostly spent within the shadow of his older siblings Maximillien and Patricia Devreux. His father Henri was at the time a powerful political figure at court and son of Henri Consul of Midrasia. At the time the Midrasian political sphere was divided between the Devreuxan and Parliamentarian factions. The Devreuxans supported the Princes of Devreux as Consul as a check on the power of the Robe nobility who primarily comprised the Parliamentarian faction which advocated for greater decentralisation of power and democratisation of political decision making. Louis' father was absent for much of his early life involved in court affairs, primarily due to the political divisions within parliament. As such Maximillien played an influential role in his brother's upbringing.