Augustin Thierry

Who was Augustin Thierry?

Augustin Thierry was a French historian.

He was born in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, the elder brother of Amédée Simon Dominique Thierry. He had no advantages of birth or fortune, but was distinguished at the Blois Grammar School, and entered the École Normale Supérieure in 1811. In 1813 he was sent as a professor to Compiègne, but stayed there a very short time.

Thierry enthusiastically embraced the ideals of the French Revolution and Saint Simon's vision of an ideal future society. He became Saint-Simon's secretary and "adopted son"; but while most of Saint-Simon's followers applied his theories to present-day matters of political economy, Thierry turned to history instead.

Thierry was also inspired by Romantic literature, such as Chateaubriand's Les Martyrs, and Walter Scott's novels. Though Thierry did not actually write romances, his conception of history recognised the dramatic element.