Isaac de Beausobre

Isaac de Beausobre (March 8, 1659 - June 5, 1738), was a French Protestant churchman, now best known for his history of Manichaeism, "Histoire Critique de Manichée et du Manichéisme" in two volumes (Amsterdam 1734-1739),

Beausobre was born at Niort. After studying theology at the Protestant academy of Saumur, he was ordained at the age of twenty-two, becoming pastor at Chatillon-sur-Indre. After the revocation of the edict of Nantes he fled to Rotterdam (November 1685), and in 1686 was appointed chaplain to the princess of Dessau, Henrietta Catherine of Orange.

In 1693, on the death of the prince of Dessau, he went to Berlin and became chaplain to the court at Oranienbaum, and in 1695 pastor of the French church at Berlin. He became court preacher, counsellor of the Consistory, director of the Maison française, a hospice for French people, inspector of the French gymnasium and superintendent of all the French churches in Brandenburg.

He had strong sense with profound erudition, was one of the best writers of his time and an excellent preacher.----