Background
François Cabarrús was born at Bayonne on October 15, 1752, where his father was a merchant.
François Cabarrús was born at Bayonne on October 15, 1752, where his father was a merchant.
François Cabarrús was sent to study in Toulouse but was recalled to Bayonne by his family due to certain amorous adventures and was sent by his father to Spain to practice with one of his business correspondents, named Galabert.
François Cabarrús originated a bank, and a company to trade with the Philippine Islands; and as one of the council of finance he had planned many reforms in that department of the administration, when Charles III died (1788), and the reactionary government of Charles IV arrested every kind of enlightened progress. The men who had taken an active part in reform were suspected and prosecuted. Cabarrus himself was accused of embezzlement and thrown into prison. After a confinement of two years he was released, created a count and employed in many honourable missions; he would even have been sent to Paris as Spanish ambassador, had not the Directory objected to him as being of French birth. Cabarrus took no part in the transactions by which Charles IV was obliged to abdicate and make way for Joseph, brother of Napoleon,
He married Maria Antonia Galabert Casanova, his employer's daughter.
