François Crouzet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids François Crouzet
Born	François Marie-Joseph Crouzet (1922-10-20)20 October 1922 Monts-sur-Guesnes, France
Died	20 March 2010(2010-03-20) (aged 87)
Nationality	French
Education	École Normale Supérieure Université de Paris-Sorbonne
Occupation	Historian

François Crouzet (born October 20, 1922 – died March 20, 2010) was a famous historian from France. He was known for being one of the best French historians who studied Britain. He taught history at the Sorbonne University in Paris for many years.

Early Life and Studies

François Crouzet was born in a French town called Monts-sur-Guesnes. His father, Maurice Crouzet, was also important in history education in France. François followed in his father's footsteps. He finished high school in 1939. Then he went to a famous school called École Normale Supérieure. His father had also gone there.

In 1945, he passed a big history exam called the Agrégation with excellent scores. He then started teaching at a high school in Beauvais. From 1946 to 1949, he lived in the United Kingdom. He was there to do research on British history. This research later became his main university project.

While in London, he spent a lot of time at places like the London School of Economics. He also visited the Public Record Office, which holds many old government documents. This time made him love British culture and history even more. He became an "Anglophile," meaning someone who loves England. In London, he met and married Françoise Dabert-Hauser.

Teaching and Research Career

When he returned to France in 1949, François Crouzet worked as a lecturer. He taught at the Paris Institute of Political Studies until 1956. He also helped teach history at the Sorbonne University. From 1953 to 1956, he was a professor at a high school in Paris.

In 1956, he earned his doctorate degree. His big research project was a two-volume study. It was about how the Napoleonic blockade affected the British economy. This blockade was a time when France tried to stop trade with Britain. His study was very well-received. It was published two years later and became very important.

From 1956 to 1968, he taught at several universities in France. These included the universities of Bordeaux, Lille, and Nanterre. In 1969, he became a professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He held this important position until he retired in 1992.

Throughout his career, he also taught as a visiting professor. He visited famous universities like Columbia University and Harvard University in the United States. He also taught at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. He was also a visiting scholar at Cambridge and Oxford universities in England.

François Crouzet passed away in 2010 when he was 87 years old. He left behind his wife, Françoise, and their three children. Two of his children, Marie-Anne and Denis, also became historians. His son Joël became a molecular biologist. In his last years, he wrote his memories. They were published after he died in 2012.

Awards and Honors

François Crouzet received special honorary degrees from several universities. These included the University of Birmingham and the University of Edinburgh in the UK. He also received many other important awards and honors:

• 1959: Prix Georges Mauguin for his book on the British economy and the blockade.
• 1973: Elected as a Fellow of the British Academy. This is a big honor for scholars.
• 1980: Made an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
• 1985: Received the Commandeur, Ordre des Palmes académiques, a French award for academics.
• 1987: Won the Grand Prix d'Histoire de la Ville de Paris.
• 1995: Became a Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d’honneur, a very high French award.
• 2001: Won the Prix Guizot for his book on European economic history.
• 2008: Received the Prix Rossi for his book about the economic war between France and England in the 18th century.