Why did Charles Baudelaire’s family restrict his access to his inheritance?

After coming into his inheritance in April 1842, Charles Baudelaire rapidly exhausted half of his fortune within two years. He spent his wealth on a lavish lifestyle as a dandified man of letters, including expensive clothing, art, books, fine dining, and narcotics such as opium and hashish. Furthermore, he fell victim to moneylenders and cheats, which created a cycle of debt that threatened his financial future.1

In September 1844, his family intervened by imposing a legal arrangement that restricted his access to the remainder of his inheritance, effectively designating him a legal minor. This decision resulted in him receiving only a modest annual allowance, which was insufficient to pay off his accumulated debts. This state of permanent financial constraint deepened his emotional dependence on his mother and intensified his resentment toward his stepfather, General Jacques Aupick.1