Maurice Druon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maurice Druon
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Druon in 2003
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| Born | 23 April 1918 Paris, France |
| Died | 14 April 2009 (aged 90) Paris, France |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | French |
| Period | 1942–2009 |
| Notable awards | • Grand Cross Legion of Honour • Ordre des Arts et des Lettres • Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire • Prix Goncourt • Commemorative medal for voluntary service in Free France |
| Spouse |
Geneviève Gregh
(m. 1938; div. 1954)Madeleine Marignac
(m. 1968) |
| Minister of Culture | |
| In office 5 April 1973 – 27 February 1974 |
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| President | Georges Pompidou |
| Prime Minister | Pierre Messmer |
| Preceded by | Jacques Duhamel |
| Succeeded by | Alain Peyrefitte |
| Member of the National Assembly for Paris's 22nd constituency |
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| In office 3 April 1978 – 22 May 1981 |
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| Preceded by | Bernard Lafay |
| Succeeded by | Bernard Pons |
Maurice Druon (born April 23, 1918 – died April 14, 2009) was a famous French novelist. He was also a member of the Académie Française, which is like a very important French council for the French language. He even served as its "Perpetual Secretary" (chairman) for many years.
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Life and Early Career
Maurice Druon was born in Paris, France. His father, Lazare Kessel, was from Russia. Maurice grew up in a place called La Croix-Saint-Leufroy in Normandy.
When he was young, his father passed away. His mother later remarried, and Maurice took the name of his adoptive father, René Druon. He was also the nephew of another writer, Joseph Kessel.
Joining the French Resistance
During World War II, Maurice Druon played an important role. He and his uncle Joseph Kessel helped translate a famous song called Chant des Partisans. This song became an anthem for the French Resistance, which was a group fighting against the occupation of France.
Druon was part of the Resistance movement. In 1943, he traveled to London. There, he joined the BBC's "Honneur et Patrie" program. This program broadcast messages to occupied France.
Becoming a Writer
Maurice Druon started writing for magazines when he was just 18. In 1939, he wrote an article called "I am twenty years old and I am leaving" about joining the military.
After France was occupied in 1940, he was released from military service. He stayed in the part of France that was not occupied. His first play, Mégarée, was performed in 1942. Later that year, he joined the forces of Charles de Gaulle, who led the Free French.
In 1948, Druon won the Prix Goncourt for his novel Les Grandes Familles. This is a very important literary award in France. He later wrote two more books that continued the story.
Key Achievements and Famous Works
Maurice Druon became a member of the Académie française in 1966. This is a highly respected group that protects the French language. In 1985, he was chosen as the "Perpetual Secretary." This role is like being the leader or chairman of the Académie. He held this position until 1999.
He helped choose Hélène Carrère d'Encausse to take over from him. She was the first woman to hold this important job. After 2000, he was called Honorary Perpetual Secretary.
The Accursed Kings Series
While he wrote many scholarly works, Maurice Druon is most famous for his series of seven historical novels. These books are called Les Rois maudits, which means The Accursed Kings. They were published in the 1950s.
These novels tell stories about French history. They were so popular that they were made into French TV shows in 1972 and again in 2005. The famous fantasy writer George R. R. Martin said that The Accursed Kings inspired his own popular series, A Song of Ice and Fire. He even called Druon "France's best historical novelist."
Children's Book
Maurice Druon also wrote a book for children. It was called Tistou les pouces verts and came out in 1957. In English, it was translated as Tistou of the Green Thumbs or Tistou: The Boy With Green Thumbs.
Political Life
Besides being a writer, Druon also worked in government. He was the Minister of Cultural Affairs from 1973 to 1974. He also served as a representative for Paris in the National Assembly from 1978 to 1981.
Maurice Druon passed away in 2009. He was survived by his second wife, Madeleine Marignac.
The Accursed Kings Series Titles
Here are the titles of the books in The Accursed Kings series:
| # | French title | Year | Translation | Scribner title |
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| 1 | Le Roi de fer | 1955 | "The King of Iron" | The Iron King |
| 2 | La Reine étranglée | 1955 | "The Strangled Queen" | The Strangled Queen |
| 3 | Les Poisons de la couronne | 1956 | "The Poisons of the Crown" | The Poisoned Crown |
| 4 | La Loi des mâles | 1957 | "The Law of Males" | The Royal Succession |
| 5 | La Louve de France | 1959 | "The She-Wolf of France" | The She-Wolf of France |
| 6 | Le Lys et le lion | 1960 | "The Lily and the Lion" | The Lily and the Lion |
| 7 | Quand un Roi perd la France | 1977 | "When a King Loses France" | The King Without a Kingdom |
Awards and Honours
Maurice Druon received many awards and honours throughout his life for his work and service:
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (a very high French award)
- Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters
- Médaille de la France libre (for his role in the Free French)
- Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) from the UK
- Prix Goncourt (1948)
- Literary Award of the Foundation of Prince Pierre de Monaco (1966)
- Order of Friendship (from Russia, 1993)
Images for kids
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Maurice Druon in Orenburg in Russia in 2003.
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Maurice Druon in Orenburg, 2003.
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Maurice Druon in Orenburg, 2003.
