Charles-Jean-François Hénault facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles-Jean-François Hénault
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| Born | 8 February 1685 Paris, France
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| Died | 24 November 1770 (aged 85) Paris
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| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Writer and historian |
Charles-Jean-François Hénault (born February 8, 1685 – died November 24, 1770) was a famous French writer and historian. He was known for his clever writing and his important book about French history.
Life and Work
Growing Up in Paris
Charles-Jean-François Hénault was born in Paris, France. His father, René Jean Rémy Hénault, was a "farmer-general of taxes." This meant he was in charge of collecting taxes for the French government. His father also loved books and learning.
Because of his father's interests, young Charles got a very good education. He went to a special school run by Jesuits, called the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. When he was about 15, he thought about becoming a preacher. He even joined a religious group called the Oratory for two years. But he soon changed his mind.
Charles inherited a good social standing, which meant he could meet many important people in Paris. He quickly became well-known for his smart and polite manners.
A Busy Career
Charles-Jean-François Hénault was very talented at writing. He wrote many light poems, an opera, and even a serious play called Cornélie, vestale in 1713. Because of his writing skills, he was invited to join the Académie Française in 1723. This is a very important French group that looks after the French language and arts.
Even though he was a popular writer, he also had a serious side. In 1705, he became a judge, known as a "councillor," in the parlement of Paris. This was like a high court. In 1710, he was chosen to be the president of the "chamber of inquiries," which was a section of the court.
Hénault also hosted a famous discussion group called the Club de l'Entresol at his home in Paris. From 1724 to 1731, important thinkers and writers would meet there to talk about ideas.
Later in his life, in 1753, he became the manager of the household for Marie Leszczynska, who was the Queen of France. He was already a close friend of the Queen before he took on this role.
When he was 80 years old, in 1765, Charles-Jean-François Hénault became very ill. After he recovered, he said he had become more religious and decided to live a quieter life. He spent his remaining years studying and focusing on his faith. However, his faith was not strict or mean. He remained good friends with the famous writer Voltaire, and it's even said that he once saved Voltaire's important book, La Henriade, from being burned!
His Famous History Book
The most important work Charles-Jean-François Hénault created was a history book called Abrégé chronologique de l'histoire de France. It was first published in 1744 without his name on it. This book was special because it covered the entire history of France, from the earliest times up to the death of King Louis XIV, all in just two volumes.
Hénault had kept his notes from history lessons at the Jesuit college. He used these notes and other history books to create his Abrégé. He also wrote it in a question-and-answer style, which made it easy to read.
This book became incredibly popular! It was translated into many languages, even into Chinese. People loved it partly because Hénault himself was popular, but also because of its enjoyable writing style. He added short, interesting thoughts about history and politics. He also included quick summaries of each time period and descriptions of famous people. The book had clear timelines showing important events and the names of great people from each king's reign. It also had chapters about how society and daily life changed over time.
Charles-Jean-François Hénault passed away in Paris on November 24, 1770.
His Memoirs
Hénault also wrote Mémoires, which are like his personal diaries or recollections. There are two different versions of these memoirs. They are not complete stories but contain many interesting tales and details about important people he knew.
You can learn more about Charles-Jean-François Hénault by looking at letters written by people like Grimm, Madame de Deffand, and Voltaire.
