Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French politician who served as the
Minister of Finances of France from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of
King Louis XIV. His relentless hard work and thrift made him an esteemed minister. He achieved a reputation for his work of improving the state of French
manufacturing and bringing the
economy back from the brink of
bankruptcy. Historians note that, despite Colbert's efforts, France actually became increasingly
impoverished because of the King's excessive spending on wars. Colbert worked to create a favourable
balance of trade and increase France's
colonial holdings.