Léon Bouthillier, comte de Chavigny

Léon Bouthillier, Comte de Chavigny et de Busençais (* 1608, † October 11, 1652 ) was a French politician and diplomat. From March 18 1632 to June 23, 1643 he held the office of French Foreign Minister.

Léon Bouthillier was born in 1608, the son of Claude Bouthilliers. He was early advice in the Parliament of Paris and as a favorite of Cardinal Richelieu soon after the State Council. His father rose in 1629 to the Foreign Ministers of France and in the following years Léon accompanied him on his diplomatic trips throughout Europe. Thus he learned the diplomatic service. From 1631 Bouthillier was entrusted by Richelieu with its own diplomatic missions in Italy. In the summer of 1632 he succeeded his father in his office, which he held until 1643. Under his leadership, among other important treaties of alliance with the United Netherlands and the Kingdom of Sweden came about that influenced the outcome of the Thirty Years' War decisively. After the death of Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII. However, he lost his father as well as under the regent Anne of Austria all his offices, although in the Testament of Louis XIII it. had been appointed as a member of the Council of Regency ( like his father). Nevertheless, he represented France in the negotiations soon after the Peace of Westphalia in Münster. After his return he schemed unsuccessfully against Cardinal Jules Mazarin, and was therefore arrested twice during the Fronde.