François Arago

France state institutions Liberalism and republicanism 1786–1853 ○ Natural causes

Physicist and astronomer who, as minister of the navy in 1848, abolished slavery in the colonies and presided over the Executive Commission

Born in 1786 at Estagel near Perpignan, he studied at the École Polytechnique, joined the meridian survey for the Paris Observatory and became known as the physicist and astronomer who helped establish the wave theory of light. In 1830 he was elected deputy for the Pyrénées-Orientales and became director of the Observatory and perpetual secretary of the Academy of Sciences. On 24 February 1848 he joined the Provisional Government as minister of the navy and colonies, and from April also of war; he abolished flogging in the navy and procured the abolition of slavery in the French colonies. In May he became president of the Executive Power Commission and served as provisional head of state until its collective resignation on 24 June. He refused the oath of allegiance to Louis Napoleon and died in Paris in 1853.

Also known as: Dominique François Jean Arago