Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme facts for kids
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Pierre de Bourdeille (born around 1540 – died July 15, 1614) was a French writer, soldier, and biographer. He was also known as the seigneur et abbé de Brantôme. He wrote interesting books about the famous people he met during his life.
Contents
A Life of Adventure
Pierre de Bourdeille was born in a place called Bourdeilles in France. He was the third son of his family. His mother and grandmother worked at the court of Queen Marguerite of Navarre. After the queen passed away in 1549, Pierre went to Paris and then to Poitiers in 1555 to finish his education.
Becoming a Soldier
Pierre was given some church positions, like being the leader of the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Brantôme. However, he did not want to be a priest. Instead, he chose to become a soldier. This allowed him to meet many important military leaders of his time.
He traveled a lot! He visited Italy, Scotland (where he went with Mary, Queen of Scots), and England (where he saw Queen Elizabeth I). He also went to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. In 1564, he even helped in a battle to conquer a place called Badis.
Pierre de Bourdeille fought with the Order of Malta. He also joined his friend, the French commander Filippo di Piero Strozzi, on a trip to Terceira. Sadly, Strozzi was killed during this trip in 1582. During the French Wars of Religion, Pierre fought for the Catholics. He even took part in the siege of La Rochelle. For a short time, he was interested in the ideas of the Huguenot reformers, who were Protestants. Even though he later said he was not a Protestant, their ideas still influenced him.
Retirement and Writing
Around 1589, Pierre had an accident and fell from his horse. This made him stop being a soldier and live a quieter life. He spent his last years writing his Memoirs. These books were about the famous men and women he had known throughout his life.
His Famous Writings
Pierre de Bourdeille wanted his writings to be printed. The first edition of his Memoirs came out much later, between 1665 and 1666.
What His Books Are Like
Pierre de Bourdeille was not a historian in the way we think of historians today. His Memoirs are not always completely accurate. But he wrote in a very unique and friendly way. He would share his thoughts, observations, and facts without a strict plan. He was also very honest in his writing.
His books give us a look into what court life was like during his time. He described the people and events he saw, giving us a glimpse into the past.
