Henri Martin (Historian)

Henri Martin (February 20, 1810 - December 14, 1883) was a celebrated French historian, born at Saint-Quentin. Having first written a few novels, he later devoted his life to the study of the history of France and wrote an account of it, entitled "Histoire de France", a magnificent work in 19 volumes. He brought the history down to 1789, and received from the Institute 20,000 francs as a prize in 1869.

Trained as a notary, he followed this profession for some time but having achieved success with an historical romance, "Wolfthurm" (1830), he applied himself to historical research.

Becoming associated with Paul Lacroix ("Le Bibliophile Jacob"), he planned with him a history of France to consist of excerpts from the chief chroniclers and historians, with original matter filling up gaps in the continuity. The first volume, which appeared in 1833, encouraged the author to make the work his own, and his "Histoire de France", in fifteen volumes (1833-1836), was the result. This magnum opus, rewritten and further elaborated (4th ed., 16 vols. and index, 1861-1865) gained for the author in 1856 the first prize of the Academy, and in 1869 the grand biennial prize of 20,000 francs. A popular abridgment in seven volumes was published in 1867. This, together with the continuation, "Histoire de France depuis 1789 jusqu'à nos jours" (6 vols. 1878-1883), gives a complete history of France, and superseded Sismondi's "Histoire des Français".

This work is in parts defective; Martin's descriptions of the Gauls are based rather on romance than on history, and in this respect he was too much under the influence of Jean Reynaud and his cosmogonic philosophy. However he gave a great impetus to Celtic and anthropological studies. His knowledge of the Middle Ages is inadequate, and his criticisms are not discriminating. As a free-thinking republican, his prejudices often biassed his judgment on the political and religious history of the "ancien régime". The last six volumes, devoted to the 17th and 18th centuries, are superior to the earlier ones. Martin sat in the assemble nationale as deputy for Aisne in 1871, and was elected on June 13, 1878 to seat number 38 of the Académie française, but he left no mark as a politician. Redactor at the "Siècle", he was also mayor of the XVIth "arrondissement" in 1870, deputy of Paris in 1871, senator in 1876, and one of the founders and the first president of the "Ligue des Patriotes". He died in Paris on the December 14, 1883.

His minor works included "De la France, de son génie et de ses destinées" (1847); "Daniel Manin" (1860), "La Russie et l'Europe" (1866); "Etudes d'archéologie celtique" (1872); "Les Napoléon et les frontières de la France" (1874).

References

* [http://www.academie-francaise.fr/immortels/base/academiciens/fiche.asp?param=443 Académie française: Henri Martin]
*1911
*nuttall