French War Minister (1776-80).

Orphaned and inherited a considerable fortune at a young age.

Breveted captain during the French campaigns in Germany and Flanders. Maréchal de camp (1761). Inspector of infantry. Capitaine-colonel des Suisses du comte de Provence (1771). Prince du saint-empire (1774). Named to the grande préfécture d’Haguenau (1788).

Almost mistaken for the governor of the Bastille and massacred (1789). His Memoirs (Paris, 1826-1827) contain a considerable amount of information regarding the regimes of Louis XV and Louis XVI.

Born in Besançon. Alternate form of the name: Montbarrey.