The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Eynard, Jean Gabriel

EYNARD, ā'när, Jean Gabriel, French banker: b. Lyons, 1775; d. 1863. For his participation in the outbreak at Lyons against the Convention, Eynard became persona non grata to the authorities and sought aslyum in Switzerland and later in Genoa, where he amassed a fortune. In 1810 he removed to Geneva, and was Ambassador of the Geneva Republic at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. In the following year he helped to organize the administration of Tuscany, which he represented at the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1818. He advocated the independence of Greece and for his services to this cause was made a Greek citizen. His personal contribution to the Greek revolutionaries amounted to Fcs. 700,000 ($140,000). His recommendation of Otho of Bavaria for the throne of Greece was adopted. He bequeathed his fortune of about $12,000,000 to various charitable enterprises. He wrote ‘Lettres et documents officiels relatifs aux divers événements de Grèce’ (1831) and ‘Vie de la baronne Krüdener’ (1849). Consult Rothpletz, ‘Der Genfer Jean Gabriel Eynard als Philhellene’ (Zürich 1900).