Pierre Lanfrey
Encyclopedia
Pierre Lanfrey a French
historian
and politician
, was born at Chambéry (Savoie
).
His father had been one of Napoleon's officers. The son studied philosophy
and history
in Paris
and wrote historical works of an anti-clerical and rationalizing tendency. These included:
His magnum opus
was his Histoire de Napoleon I (5 vols., 1867–1875 and 1886; Eng. trans., 4 vols, 1871–1879), which ceased at the end of 1811 with the preparations for the Russia
n campaign of 1812. This book, based on the emperor's correspondence published in 1858-1870, attempted the destruction of the legends which had grown up around his subject, and sought by a critical examination of the documents to explain the motives of his policy.
In his desire to refute current misconceptions and exaggerations of Napoleon's abilities, Lanfrey unduly minimized
his military and administrative genius. A staunch republican, he was elected to the National Assembly in 1871, became ambassador at Bern (1871-1813), and life senator
in 1875. He died at Pau on the 15 November 1877.
His Œuvres complètes were published in 12 vols. (1879 seq.), and his in 2 vols. (1885).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, was born at Chambéry (Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
).
His father had been one of Napoleon's officers. The son studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and wrote historical works of an anti-clerical and rationalizing tendency. These included:
- L'Église et les philosophes au dix-huitième siècle (1855; new edition, with a notice of the author by E. de Pressensé, 1879)
- Essai sur la révolution française (1858)
- Histoire politique des papes (1860)
- Lettres d'Evérard (1860), a novel in the form of letters
- Le Rétablissement de la Pologne (1863)
His magnum opus
Magnum opus
Magnum opus , from the Latin meaning "great work", refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of a writer, artist, or composer.-Related terms:Sometimes the term magnum opus is used to refer to simply "a great work" rather than "the...
was his Histoire de Napoleon I (5 vols., 1867–1875 and 1886; Eng. trans., 4 vols, 1871–1879), which ceased at the end of 1811 with the preparations for the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n campaign of 1812. This book, based on the emperor's correspondence published in 1858-1870, attempted the destruction of the legends which had grown up around his subject, and sought by a critical examination of the documents to explain the motives of his policy.
In his desire to refute current misconceptions and exaggerations of Napoleon's abilities, Lanfrey unduly minimized
Minimisation (psychology)
Minimisation is a type of deception involving denial coupled with rationalisation in situations where complete denial is implausible. It is the opposite of exaggeration....
his military and administrative genius. A staunch republican, he was elected to the National Assembly in 1871, became ambassador at Bern (1871-1813), and life senator
Senator for life
A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. , 7 Italian Senators out of 322, 4 out of the 47 Burundian Senators and all members of the British House of Lords have lifetime tenure...
in 1875. He died at Pau on the 15 November 1877.
His Œuvres complètes were published in 12 vols. (1879 seq.), and his in 2 vols. (1885).