Bernard-René Jourdan de Launay however written on 5 July that "there are two sources of anxiety concerning the Bastille; the person of the commandant (de Launay) and the nature of the garrison there". De Launay had three daughters by two wives. Some of de Launay's brother's descendants settled in Russia (see Boris Delaunay and Vadim Delaunay for details). His killing is described graphically in Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" (Book II, Chapter 21) and also in Hilary Mantel's "A Place of Greater Safety". Bernard-René Jourdan de Launay Bernard René Jourdan, marquis de Launay (1740–1789) was the French governor of the Bastille, the
Louis Le Provost de Launay studied law in Paris and obtained his license. For a period he was secretary to Théodore Grandperret. At the start of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 he joined the "Chasseurs d'Afrique" as a private soldier, and later was made a sub-officer. After the war he received his doctorate in law and was admitted to the Bar in 1872. In 1875 Le Provost de Launay was elected general councilor for Côtes-du-Nord representing the canton of La Roche-Derrien. He was elected mayor of Penvénan on 18 May 1884. He was replaced on 10 December 1893 by Pierre Le Provost de Launay. In