CHAMILLART, MICHEL ), French statesman, minister of Louis XIV. In 1690 he was made intendant of finances, and on Sept. 5, 1699, the king appointed him controller general of finances, and on Jan. 7, 1700, minister of war. From the first Chamillart's position was a difficult one. The deficit amounted to more than S3 million livres, and the credit of the state was almost exhausted. In Oct. 1706 he showed the king that the debts immediately due amounted to 288 millions, and that the deficit already foreseen for 1707 was 160 millions. In Oct. 1707 he saw with consternation that the revenue for 1708 was already entirely eaten up by anticipation, so that neither money nor credit remained for 1708. In these conditions Chamil lart resigned his office of controller-general. Public opinion attrib uted to him the ruin of the country, though he had tried in 1700 to improve the condition of commerce by the creation of a coun cil of commerce. As secretary of state for war he had to place in the field the army for the War of the Spanish Succession, and to reorganize it three times, after the great defeats of 1706 and 1708. With an empty treasury he succeeded only in part, and he frankly warned the king that the enemy would soon be able to dictate the terms of peace. He resigned office in 1709, and died on April 14, 172 1.
See G. Esnault, Michel Chamillart, controleur general et secretaire d'etat de la guerre, correspondance et papiers inedits (1885) ; A. de Boislisle Correspondance des controleurs generaux (vol. ii., 1883) ; M. Langlois, Louis XIV. et la tour. D'apres trois temoins nouveaux: Belise Beauvillier, Chamillart. (1926) .