About
Astolphe de Custine, born March 18, 1790 in Niderviller and died September 25, 1857 in Paris, was a French writer and diplomat. Born into an aristocratic family, he was deeply affected by the execution of his father and grandfather during the Reign of Terror. After a diplomatic career, he turned to literature. His semi-autobiographical novel Aloys (1829) and his travelogue Spain under Ferdinand VII (1838) preceded his major work, Russia in 1839 (1843), a sharp critique of Russian autocracy that earned him comparisons to Tocqueville. Banned in Russia, the book was widely successful in Europe.
* 1790-03-18 — † 1857-09-25
Major works
- Aloys, ou le religieux du Mont Saint-Bernard (1829)novel
- L'Espagne sous Ferdinand VII (1838)travelogue
- La Russie en 1839 (1843)travelogue
Key milestones
- 1790Born in Niderviller, Lorraine.
- 1814-1815Attended the Congress of Vienna as a young diplomat.
- 1843Publication of Russia in 1839, banned in Russia.
Themes
aristocracytravelautocracyidentityhistorical memory
Sources: oxfordreference.com · onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu · nypl.org