François Victor Alphonse Aulard
Encyclopedia
François Victor Alphonse Aulard (19 July 1849 – 23 October 1928) was the first professional French historian
of the French Revolution
and of Napoleon.
He was born at Montbron
in Charente
. He entered the École Normale Supérieure
in 1867 and obtained the degree of doctor of letters in 1877 with a Latin
thesis on Gaius Asinius Pollio
and a French one on Giacomo Leopardi
(whose works he subsequently translated into French He made a study of parliamentary oratory during the French Revolution, and published two volumes on Les orateurs de la Constituante (1882) and on Les orateurs de la Legislative et de la Convention (1885). With these works, which were reprinted in 1905, he entered a new field, where he soon came an acknowledged master.
Applying to the study of the French Revolution the rules of historical criticism which had produced such rich results in the study of ancient and medieval history, he devoted himself to profound research in the archives, and to the publication of numerous important contributions to the political, administrative and moral history of that period.
Appointed professor of the history of the French Revolution at the Sorbonne
in 1885, he formed the minds of students who in their turn did valuable work. To him we owe the Recueil des actes du Comité de salut public (27 vols. 1889-1923); La Société des Jacobins
:Recueil de documents sur l'histoire des club des Jacobins de Paris (6 vols., 1889-1897); Paris pendant la reaction thermidorienne et sous le directoire: Recueil de documents pour l'histoire de l'esprit public a Paris (5 vols., 1898-1902), which was followed by a collection on Paris sous le consulat (2 vols., 1903-1904).
For the Société de l'Histoire de la Revolution Française, which brought under his editorship the important periodical entitled La Revolution française. He produced the Registre des libérations du consulat provisoire (1894), and L'Etat de la France en l'an VIII et en l'an IX, with the reports of the effects (1897), besides editing various works or memoirs written by men of the Revolution, such as JC Bailleul, Chaumette
, Fournier
(called the American), Hérault de Séchelles, and Louvet de Couvrai
.
These large collections of documents were a fraction of his output. He wrote a Histoire politique de la Revolution française (1901), and a number of articles which were collected in volumes under the title Etudes et leçons sur la Révolution française (9 vols., 1893-1924). In a volume entitled Taine, historien de la Révolution française (1908), Aulard attacked the method of the eminent philosopher in criticism that was severe, perhaps unjust, but certainly well-informed. This was, as it were, the "manifesto" of the new school of criticism applied to the political and social history of the Revolution (see Les Annales révolutionnaires, June 1908).
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...
of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and of Napoleon.
He was born at Montbron
Montbron
Montbron is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:...
in Charente
Charente
Charente is a department in southwestern France, in the Poitou-Charentes region, named after the Charente River, the most important river in the department, and also the river beside which the department's two largest towns, Angoulême and Cognac, are sited.-History:Charente is one of the original...
. He entered the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
in 1867 and obtained the degree of doctor of letters in 1877 with a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
thesis on Gaius Asinius Pollio
Gaius Asinius Pollio (consul 40 BC)
Gaius Asinius Pollio was a Roman soldier, politician, orator, poet, playwright, literary critic and historian, whose lost contemporary history, provided much of the material for the historians Appian and Plutarch...
and a French one on Giacomo Leopardi
Giacomo Leopardi
Giacomo Taldegardo Francesco di Sales Saverio Pietro Leopardi was an Italian poet, essayist, philosopher, and philologist...
(whose works he subsequently translated into French He made a study of parliamentary oratory during the French Revolution, and published two volumes on Les orateurs de la Constituante (1882) and on Les orateurs de la Legislative et de la Convention (1885). With these works, which were reprinted in 1905, he entered a new field, where he soon came an acknowledged master.
Applying to the study of the French Revolution the rules of historical criticism which had produced such rich results in the study of ancient and medieval history, he devoted himself to profound research in the archives, and to the publication of numerous important contributions to the political, administrative and moral history of that period.
Appointed professor of the history of the French Revolution at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1885, he formed the minds of students who in their turn did valuable work. To him we owe the Recueil des actes du Comité de salut public (27 vols. 1889-1923); La Société des Jacobins
Jacobin Club
The Jacobin Club was the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French Revolution, so-named because of the Dominican convent where they met, located in the Rue St. Jacques , Paris. The club originated as the Club Benthorn, formed at Versailles from a group of Breton...
:Recueil de documents sur l'histoire des club des Jacobins de Paris (6 vols., 1889-1897); Paris pendant la reaction thermidorienne et sous le directoire: Recueil de documents pour l'histoire de l'esprit public a Paris (5 vols., 1898-1902), which was followed by a collection on Paris sous le consulat (2 vols., 1903-1904).
For the Société de l'Histoire de la Revolution Française, which brought under his editorship the important periodical entitled La Revolution française. He produced the Registre des libérations du consulat provisoire (1894), and L'Etat de la France en l'an VIII et en l'an IX, with the reports of the effects (1897), besides editing various works or memoirs written by men of the Revolution, such as JC Bailleul, Chaumette
Pierre Gaspard Chaumette
Pierre Gaspard Chaumette was a French politician of the Revolutionaryperiod.-Early activities:Born in Nevers France, 24 May 1763, his main interest was botany and science. Chaumette studied medicine at the University of Paris in 1790, but gave up his career in medicine at the start of the Revolution...
, Fournier
Claude Fournier
Claude Fournier L'Héritier was a French personality of the Revolution, nicknamed l'Americain .-Early activities:...
(called the American), Hérault de Séchelles, and Louvet de Couvrai
Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvrai
Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvrai was a French novelist, playwright, journalist, politician, and diplomat.-Early life and literary works:...
.
These large collections of documents were a fraction of his output. He wrote a Histoire politique de la Revolution française (1901), and a number of articles which were collected in volumes under the title Etudes et leçons sur la Révolution française (9 vols., 1893-1924). In a volume entitled Taine, historien de la Révolution française (1908), Aulard attacked the method of the eminent philosopher in criticism that was severe, perhaps unjust, but certainly well-informed. This was, as it were, the "manifesto" of the new school of criticism applied to the political and social history of the Revolution (see Les Annales révolutionnaires, June 1908).