Jacques Basnages
Encyclopedia
Jacques Basnage De Beauval (1653 – September 23, 1723) was a celebrated Protestant divine, preacher, linguist, writer and man of affairs. He wrote a History of the Reformed Churches and on Jewish Antiquities.
in Normandy
, the eldest son of the eminent lawyer Henri Basnage, sieur de Franquenay. He studied classical languages at Saumur
and afterwards theology
at Geneva
. He was pastor at Rouen from 1676 till 1685, when, on the revocation of the edict of Nantes
, he obtained leave of the king to retire to Holland. He settled at Rotterdam
as a minister pensionary till 1691, when he was chosen pastor of the Walloon church.
In 1709 the grand pensionary A. Heinsius (1641–1720) secured his election as one of the pastors of the Walloon church at The Hague
, intending to employ him mainly in civil affairs. Accordingly he was engaged in a secret negotiation with Marshal d'Uxelles, plenipotentiary of France at the congress of Utrecht. He was then entrusted with several further important commissions.
In 1716 Dubois, who was at the Hague at the instance of the regent Orleans, for the purpose of negotiating the Triple Alliance between France, Great Britain and Holland
, sought the advice of Basnage, who, in spite of the fact that he had failed to receive permission to return to France on a short visit the year before, did his best to further the negotiations. The French government also turned to him for help in view of the threatened rising in the Cevennes
.
Basnage had welcomed the revival of the Protestant church by the zeal of Antoine Court. He assured the regent that no danger of active resistance was to be feared from it. True to the principles of Calvin
, he denounced the rebellion of the Camisards in his Instructions pastorales aux Réformés de France sur l'obéissance due aux souverains (1720), which was printed by order of the court and scattered broadcast in the south of France.
Biography
Jacques Basnage was born at RouenRouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, the eldest son of the eminent lawyer Henri Basnage, sieur de Franquenay. He studied classical languages at Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
and afterwards theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. He was pastor at Rouen from 1676 till 1685, when, on the revocation of the edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
, he obtained leave of the king to retire to Holland. He settled at Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
as a minister pensionary till 1691, when he was chosen pastor of the Walloon church.
In 1709 the grand pensionary A. Heinsius (1641–1720) secured his election as one of the pastors of the Walloon church at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, intending to employ him mainly in civil affairs. Accordingly he was engaged in a secret negotiation with Marshal d'Uxelles, plenipotentiary of France at the congress of Utrecht. He was then entrusted with several further important commissions.
In 1716 Dubois, who was at the Hague at the instance of the regent Orleans, for the purpose of negotiating the Triple Alliance between France, Great Britain and Holland
Triple Alliance (1717)
The Triple Alliance was a treaty between the Dutch Republic, France and Great Britain, against Spain, attempting to maintain the agreement of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. The three states were concerned about Spain becoming a superpower in Europe. As a result of this militarisation took place,...
, sought the advice of Basnage, who, in spite of the fact that he had failed to receive permission to return to France on a short visit the year before, did his best to further the negotiations. The French government also turned to him for help in view of the threatened rising in the Cevennes
Cévennes
The Cévennes are a range of mountains in south-central France, covering parts of the départements of Gard, Lozère, Ardèche, and Haute-Loire.The word Cévennes comes from the Gaulish Cebenna, which was Latinized by Julius Caesar to Cevenna...
.
Basnage had welcomed the revival of the Protestant church by the zeal of Antoine Court. He assured the regent that no danger of active resistance was to be feared from it. True to the principles of Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
, he denounced the rebellion of the Camisards in his Instructions pastorales aux Réformés de France sur l'obéissance due aux souverains (1720), which was printed by order of the court and scattered broadcast in the south of France.