Bernard Cottret facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernard Cottret
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| Born | 1951 |
| Died | July 13, 2020 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | French |
| Education | Master's degree, Ph.D |
| Alma mater | École Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Paris West University Nanterre La Défense |
| Occupation | Academic |
| Employer | Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University |
| Known for | Historian and literary scholar |
Bernard Cottret (born 1951 – died 2020) was a French historian and expert in literature. He spent his life studying history, especially about Britain and America, and writing many books.
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Who Was Bernard Cottret?
Bernard Cottret came from a family of artists and musicians. His parents, Bernard Cottret and Geneviève Aurel, were classical singers. His son, Yann, is also a musician.
Bernard Cottret studied at high schools in Rabat and Paris. There, he met his wife, Monique Cottret, who is also a historian. He then went to the École Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines.
After working at the Sorbonne and the University of Lille, he became a professor. From 1992 to 2011, he taught British history and culture. This was at the Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University. He is now a Professor Emeritus, which means he is retired but still respected by the university.
He also sometimes worked as a lay preacher. This means he helped lead services in the United Protestant Church of France. He helped start the humanities department at his university. He also worked closely with the College of Charleston in the USA.
Bernard Cottret was a member of the Institut Universitaire de France. He was also part of a research group in Paris.
What Did He Write About?
Bernard Cottret wrote and edited over 40 books. These books covered the history of the British Isles, early America, France, and Europe. He also wrote many chapters in other books and articles for academic journals. His work has been translated into many languages.
Many of his writings focused on the Protestant Reformation. This was a big change in Christianity in the 1500s. He looked at how religious ideas connected with politics. He gave more than 250 talks in many countries.
His Important Books
Bernard Cottret studied the Protestant Reformation as a historian. He was influenced by famous historians like Lucien Febvre and Elisabeth Labrousse.
One of his important books was The Huguenots in England, published in 1991. This book looked at French Protestants who moved to England. It helped people understand English society better during that time.
Another well-known book was Calvin: A Biography (2000). This book was about John Calvin, a key leader of the Protestant Reformation. It was praised as one of the best biographies of Calvin.
Awards and Recognition
From 1988 to 2002, Bernard Cottret was on the steering committee of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. This is France's national library.
He earned his Ph.D. in English literature in 1988. His thesis was about Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke was an English politician who influenced French thinkers like Voltaire.
The Académie française gave him several awards for his books:
- The Monseigneur-Marcel history prize (silver medal) in 1992 for his book on Oliver Cromwell.
- The François-Millepierres history prize in 2003 for La Révolution américaine (The American Revolution).
He also received the prix Budget in 1997 for his book on Calvin. In 2006, he and his wife received an award for their book on Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In 2011, he received the Charles-Aubert-Histoire prize for all his historical work.
Bernard Cottret helped start the Prix national du livre médiéval. This is a national award for medieval books. He was also part of committees that planned national celebrations.
