Joseph de Maistre

Joseph Marie, comte de Maistre was a Savoyard philosopher, lawyer, diplomat, and magistrate. One of the forefathers of conservatism, Maistre advocated social hierarchy and monarchy in the period immediately following the French Revolution. Despite his close personal and intellectual ties with France, Maistre was throughout his life a subject of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which he served as a member of the Savoy Senate (1787–1792), ambassador to Russia (1803–1817), and minister of state to the court in Turin (1817–1821).

1 April 1753

Born on the same birth day (1 April): Christian Vietoris • Dan Flavin • David Gilliland • Deng Linlin • Edgar Wallace • Gil Scott-Heron • Gilberto Macena • Payut Ngaokrachang • Peter Law