Quai d’Orsay Led by an Amateur? Revealing the Unknown – Jules Develle

This paper aims to reconstruct the tenure of Jules Develle, the French foreign minister in 1893. The analysis of Develle's conduct is based on his dealing with two major events of the time - the Egyptian crisis and the Franco-Siamese War - against which his activities and their reflection in the contemporary press are traced. Based on the analysis of primary sources, namely Develle's personal and official correspondence, which have so far been neglected by scholars, and comparing it with the correspondence of Develle's colleagues, associates, political partners, and the contemporary press, the paper offers a unique portrait of a politician who has been overlooked by modern historiography. Besides revealing the unknown politician, this study also contributes to an understanding of the workings of the Quai d'Orsay during the Third Republic. Furthermore, it seeks to analyse the decisions made by France vis à vis the two key events in the French foreign policy of 1893, as well as the specific culture of behaviour of the various political actors at the time.