Biography

Eldest son of Robert Arnauld d'Andilly

Robert Arnauld d'Andilly

Robert Arnauld d’Andilly was a French conseiller d’État, specialising in financial questions, in the court of Marie de' Medici. By the elegance of his language, he was among the major poets, writers and translators of 17th century French classicism...

, Antoine Arnauld was born in 1616. His first tutor was Martin de Barcos

Martin de Barcos

Martin de Barcos was a French theologian of the Jansenist School.He was born at Bayonne, a nephew of Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, Abbot of Saint-Cyran, who sent him to Belgium to be taught by Cornelius Jansen...

, the nephew of the Abbot of St. Cyran. He was then sent to the college of Lisieux in order to finish his studies. In his memoirs, he describes himself as a gentle man who could not win the affection of his father, who had high hopes placed upon another of his sons.

During his campaign, he showed courage and composure, however, he wrote in his memoirs that luck was not on his side. In 1643, wanting to serve under one of his uncles, he applied for a patent of aide he thought he deserved it, it was however refused. He submitted to the will of his father, but he was not treated any better. Deprived of his support, he turned to his uncle, Henri Arnauld

Henri Arnauld

Henri Arnauld was a French Catholic bishop.He was first destined for the Bar, but was taken to Rome by Cardinal Bentivoglio and during this absence, which lasted five years, the court granted him the Abbey of Saint-Nicholas...

, abbot of Saint-Nicolas, and he followed him to Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 where the priest was sent in 1645. Shortly after, the abbot of Saint-Nicolas was named bishop of Angers

Angers

Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....

. In 1674, Louis XIV conferred on him the abbey of Chaumes-en-Brie

Chaumes-en-Brie

Chaumes-en-Brie is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is best known as the ancient home of the Couperin family of composers and musicians.-External links:* * *...

which was to his liking because it was in the vicinity of the properties his family. Upon the disgrace of his brother, he withdrew to the residency of the bishop of Angers, in whom he entrusted the administration. After the death of the bishop, he lived there peacefuly until his death in 1698.