The École des Jeunes de langues was a language school founded by

Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...

in 1669 to train interpreters and translators (then called

dragoman A dragoman or Interpretation was an interpreter, translator, and official guide between Turkish-, Arabic-, and Persian-speaking countries and polities of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts. A ...

s after the Ottoman and

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

word for such a figure, like Covielle in ''

Le Bourgeois gentilhomme ''Le Bourgeois gentilhomme'' (, translated as ''The Bourgeois Gentleman'', ''The Middle-Class Aristocrat'', or ''The Would-Be Noble'') is a five-act ''comédie-ballet'' – a Play (theatre), play intermingled with music, dance and singing – wri ...

'') in the languages of the

Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...

(Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Armenian, etc.) for

ancien regime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It systematized such training activity, which had begun informally at the '' Collège des trois langues''; the latter had been created in 1530 by

Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...

on the initiative of Henry IV's widow, Marie de Medici, to offer a course in Arabic. The training of the students (''jeunes de langues'') was done partly in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

and partly in Paris. They were often the sons of French diplomats or merchants already operating in the Ottoman Empire or the Christian areas of the east. It was annexed in the 18th century by the Collège des Jésuites, the future

lycée Louis le Grand In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...

. In the 19th century, the school was gradually absorbed into the École des langues orientales.

Alumni

* Jean-Baptiste Adanson, (1732–1804) * Alexandre Deval, (1716–1771) *

Charles Deval Charles Deval (December 6, 1806 – April 9, 1862) was a French ophthalmologist born in Pera, Constantinople, He was the son of dragoman Constantin Deval (1767–1816). He studied medicine in Paris, receiving his doctorate in 1834. For a few yea ...

, (1806–1862) * Constantin Deval, (1767–1816) *

Charles Fonton Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

, (1725–1793) * Lary Baldwin, (1736–1801)

References

*Marie de Testa & Antoine Gautier, ''De l'établissement des Pères capucins à Constantinople à la fondation de l'école des jeunes de langues (1626-1669)'', in Drogmans et diplomates européens auprès de la Porte ottomane, éditions ISIS, Istanbul, 2003, pp. 43–46. * Gustave Dupont-Ferrier, ''Mémoire justificatif sur les jeunes des langues ou "Arméniens" à Louis-le-Grand 1669-1923''. In ''Du Collège de Clermont au Lycée Louis-le-Grand (1563-1920)'', Tome III, p. 347-448. Paris : Editions de Boccard, 1925. 1669 establishments in France Language schools Education in Paris Arts and culture in the Ancien Régime * History of the Middle East {{France-school-stub