René-Aubert Vertot (25 November 1655 in Bennetot,

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

– 15 June 1735 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

) was a French clergyman and historian.

Life

Vertot was for some time a pupil of the

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

Fathers

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...

, which he left at the end of two years to enter the

Capuchin Order The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (; postnominal abbr. O.F.M. Cap.) is a religious order of Franciscan friars within the Catholic Church, one of Three " First Orders" that reformed from the Franciscan Friars Minor Observant (OFM Obs., now OFM) ...

. His health was greatly impaired by his austerities there, and his family, alarmed, obtained permission for him to join the

Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...

Canons. Afterwards he was appointed pastor to several small parishes in Normandy. In 1703 Vertot was made a member of the ''

Académie des inscriptions An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

''.

Works

In 1690, at the suggestion of Fontenelle and the

Abbé de Saint-Pierre ''Abbé'' (from Latin ''abbas'', in turn from Greek , ''abbas'', from Aramaic ''abba'', a title of honour, literally meaning "the father, my father", emphatic state of ''abh'', "father") is the French word for an abbot. It is the title for lowe ...

, Vertot wrote his ''Histoire de la conjuration de Portugal''. The book was received with favour, and in 1695 appeared the ''Histoire des révolutions de Suède'' (History of the Swedish revolutions). Besides contributions to the ''Mémoires of the Académie'' and other minor works, he wrote the ''Révolutions romains'' (1719) and ''Histoire des chevaliers hospitaliers de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem'' (History of the

Knights Hospitallers The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

), also known as Histoire de Malte (History of Malta). It is related, in connection with the latter, that in answer to an offer of additional data about the great siege by the Ottomans in 1565, he said, "Mon siège est fait" ("My siege is finished"), a phrase construed by some of his critics as an expression of his disregard for historical accuracy. Another interpretation of the comment is that he wished to get rid of an intruder who was trying to force upon him documents whose authenticity was doubtful. René d'Aubert de Vertot Gallica.jpg, Engraving of de Vertot from 1787 René Aubert de Vertot (1655-1735).jpg, A Portuguese 1747 edition of Vertot's ''History of the Revolutions in Portugal''

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vertot, Rene-Aubert Clergy from Normandy 1655 births 1735 deaths 17th-century French historians 18th-century French historians Members of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres Capuchins Lycée Pierre-Corneille alumni People from Seine-Maritime

Life

Works

References

Further reading

External links