About
Michel de Montaigne, born in 1533 at the Château de Montaigne in Périgord, was a French writer and philosopher. A councillor at the Parlement of Bordeaux, he later served as mayor of Bordeaux from 1581 to 1585. He is the author of the Essays, a foundational work of the essay genre, published in 1580 and expanded in 1588. His skepticism, epitomized by his motto 'What do I know?', influenced modern thought. He translated Raymond Sebond's Natural Theology and left a Travel Journal recounting his journeys across Europe.
* 1533-02-28 — † 1592-09-12
Major works
- Les Essais (1580)essay
- Journal de voyage (1581)travelogue
- Théologie naturelle (traduction) (1569)translation
Key milestones
- 1557Becomes a councillor at the Parlement of Bordeaux.
- 1571Is made a Knight of the Order of Saint-Michel by Charles IX.
- 1581Elected mayor of Bordeaux, a position he holds until 1585.
Themes
SkepticismSelf-knowledgeToleranceDeathEducation
Sources: iep.utm.edu · oxfordbibliographies.com