André Duchesne

Who was André Duchesne?

André Duchesne was a French geographer and historian, generally styled the father of French history.

Duchesne was born in L'Île-Bouchard. He was educated at Loudun and afterwards at Paris. From his earliest years he devoted himself to historical and geographical research, and his first work, Egregiarum seu selectarum lectionum et antiquitatum liber, published in his eighteenth year, displayed great erudition. He enjoyed the patronage of Cardinal Richelieu, a native of the same district with himself, through whose influence he was appointed historiographer and geographer to the king.

He died in Paris in 1640, in consequence of having been run over by a carriage when on his way from the city to his country house at Verrières.