Michel de Montaigne

Montaigne is considered exemplary in philosophy for extensively borrowing and quoting from others' works. He internalized a wide range of reading material, showcasing erudition in a unique way. His work, deeply rooted in the community of poets, remains singular and influential.

Michel de Montaigne was born on February 28, 1533, at Château de Montaigne near Bordeaux, France.

Montaigne introduced a new form of writing called essai, which focused on his personal thoughts and experiences. The term essai comes from the French word essayer, meaning trial or attempt.

In 1539, Montaigne was sent to study at a prestigious boarding school in Bordeaux, the Collège de Guyenne, marking the beginning of his educational journey.

In 1543, Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model of the universe, which placed the sun at the center and the earth in motion around it. This revolutionary idea challenged the geocentric view of the universe and laid the foundation for modern astronomy.

Montaigne met Étienne de la Boétie at the age of 24, which became one of the most significant events in his life. Their friendship was based on profound intellectual and emotional closeness, as described in Montaigne's essay 'On Friendship'.

The death of his close friend and humanist writer Étienne de la Boétie in 1563 had a profound impact on Montaigne, shaping his thoughts and writings.

In 1565, Montaigne got married to Françoise de la Chassaigne, not driven by love but by familial and social obligations. They had six daughters, with five dying in infancy and the sixth, Léonore, outliving Montaigne.

In 1569, Montaigne published his first book, a French translation of Raymond Sebond's Natural Theology. This task was initiated by his late father, who passed away before the book's release, leaving Montaigne the title and domain of Montaigne.

In 1570, Montaigne sold his seat in the Bordeaux Parliament, marking his withdrawal from public life. He then focused on posthumously publishing La Boétie’s works and dedicated his time to reading, meditating, and writing at the castle of Montaigne.

In 1571, at the age of thirty-eight, Michel de Montaigne retired from the court and public employments to live a life of tranquility and leisure among the learned virgins.

During the 16th century, Montaigne, along with other philosophers like Cornelius Agrippa and Francisco Sanchez, played a significant role in reviving scepticism. In 1576, Montaigne had a personal medal made with his age engraved on it, along with the Greek phrase 'Epecho' meaning 'I abstain'.

In 1578, Michel de Montaigne started suffering from painful kidney stones, a sickness inherited from his father's family, which led him to travel in search of a cure.

The first edition of Montaigne's Essays was published in two volumes by Simon Millanges in Bordeaux.

In June of 1580, disillusioned by constant civil and religious wars in his homeland, Michel de Montaigne embarked on a European tour after the publication of his first two books of Essais. The journey through France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland was partly for pleasure and partly for health, as he sought relief from kidney stones.

After a 17-month and eight-day journey, Montaigne returned to his château on November 30, 1581. His travels also included a brief incarceration at the Bastille and wandering days to avoid the plague.

In 1582, Michel de Montaigne decided to remove the honorifics from the title page of the second edition of his Essays, indicating a shift away from emphasizing his social status.

During his second term as mayor of Bordeaux, Montaigne played a crucial role in maintaining peace between Catholic and Protestant factions amidst escalating hostilities. The period was also marked by the outbreak of the plague in Bordeaux, resulting in a significant loss of life.

After facing interruptions due to the plague outbreak, military activities, and diplomatic duties, Montaigne resumed his literary work and completed the third book of the Essays in 1587.

Montaigne travels to Paris to negotiate a peace deal between Henry III and Henry of Navarre, which ultimately fails.

After the assassination of Henry III in 1589, Montaigne played a significant role in maintaining Bordeaux's loyalty to Henry IV. His efforts contributed to the stability of the region during a tumultuous period.

Michel de Montaigne passed away on 13 September 1592. His impact on Western literature and philosophy has been substantial, influencing notable figures like John Locke, Shakespeare, and Francis Bacon.

Michel de Montaigne passed away on September 23, 1592, at Château de Montaigne at the age of 59.

Pierre Charron, a prominent Catholic theologian and friend of Montaigne, published Les Trois Véritez in 1594, drawing heavily from Montaigne's Essais. The work aimed to unite Pyrrhonian skepticism and Christian negative theology to counter Protestant challenges to the Catholic Church.

In 1595, the final edition of Montaigne's Essays was published under the supervision of his adoptive daughter, Marie de Gournay. This edition was edited from the manuscript left by Montaigne.

Montaigne believed that everything against customs and habits is ridiculous and unreasonable. He emphasized the importance of not blindly following beliefs influenced by societal norms.

Francis Bacon's Essays were published in 1597 and are believed to have been directly influenced by Montaigne's Essais. Montaigne's work had a significant impact on both French and English literature, shaping thought and style in the following years.

Pierre Charron, a friend and official heir of Montaigne, published De la sagesse in 1601. In this work, he re-organized many of Montaigne's ideas, omitting the most controversial ones.

In 1603, John Florio published Montaigne’s Essays which became a widely-read classic in England.

Antoine Arnauld and Pierre Nicole, associates of Pascal, criticized Montaigne's Pyrrhonism and lack of religious feeling in the Port-Royal Logic published in 1662. Their rejection, along with the Catholic Church's ban on the Essays in 1676, diminished Montaigne's influence in France.

In 1677, Malebranche's critics conspired to have Montaigne's Essays included in the Roman Index, giving priority to his book over the Essays themselves during the XVIIth century.

In 1770, 178 years after Michel de Montaigne's death, a manuscript titled Journal du Voyage de Montaigne was discovered at his château. This lucky find contained a lively description of his travels, detailing prices, food, lodgings, and customs he encountered, alongside some scandalous tales.

Montaigne's travel journal, Journal de voyage, was not intended for publication but was eventually published in 1774. The journal is known for its rich content of picturesque episodes, encounters, and descriptions from his travels.

Since Edward Capell first made the suggestion in 1780, scholars have proposed that Montaigne could have influenced Shakespeare's work.

In 1935, Dr. Armaingaud edited the translation of Raymond Sebond's 'La Théologie naturelle' into French by Michel de Montaigne, a prominent French essayist and philosopher.

The letters of Michel de Montaigne were published in 1939 by Arthur Armaingaud in Paris as part of the Œuvres complètes.

The revised edition of Michel de Montaigne's 'Essais' by V.-L. Saulnier in 1965. This edition likely provided further clarity and additional information on Montaigne's work.

The biography of Montaigne written by Donald M. Frame was published in 1984.

The travel journal of Michel de Montaigne in Italy was published in 1992 by François Rigolot in Paris.

In 2007, a Pléiade edition of the Essais was published based on the 1595 text, sparking scholarly debate over the authoritative version of Montaigne's work. This reflects the ongoing discussion on which version should be considered as the definitive text.

The Musée d'Aquitaine announced on 20 November 2019 that human remains found in the museum's basement might belong to Montaigne.