Gabriel Paul Othenin de Cléron, comte d'Haussonville

Who was Gabriel Paul Othenin de Cléron, comte d'Haussonville?

Gabriel Paul Othenin de Cléron, comte d'Haussonville was a French politician and author. Born at Gurcy-le-Châtel, he was the son of Joseph Othenin Bernard de Cléron, comte d'Haussonville and Louise née Louise Albertine, princesse de Broglie; in 1865 he married Mlle Pauline d'Harcourt.

He represented Seine-et-Marne in the National Assembly and voted with the Right Centre. Though he was not elected to the chamber of deputies he became the righthand man of his maternal uncle Albert, 4th duc de Broglie, in the attempted coup of May 16. His Les établissements pénitentiaires en France et aux colonies was crowned by the Académie française, of which he was admitted a member on January 26, 1888.

In 1891 the resignation of Henri Edouard Bocher from the administration of the Orleans estates led to the appointment of d'Haussonville as accredited representative of the comte de Paris in France. He at once set to work to strengthen the Orleanist party by recruiting from the smaller nobility the officials of the local monarchical committees. He established new Orleanist organs, and sent out lecturers with instructions to emphasize the modern and democratic principles of the comte de Paris; hut the prospects of the party were dashed in 1894 by the death of the comte de Paris.