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=**Baron de Montesquieu**= // "A fool who, not content with having bored those who have lived with him, insists on tormenting generations to come. "//
 * (1689- 1755)**

__**Historical Background**__
====Montesquieu was born January 18th, 1689. He was born in Bordeaux, France. In 1700 Motesquieu was sent to Oratorian College de Juilly, at Meaux. There he recieved a modern education. At the age of twenty seven he returned to Bordeaux to study law. After studying law, he spent five years in Paris, France, where he continuted his education and studies. When in Paris he developed a huge dislike for the way of life in the capital. He traveled around the world for many years. He traveled through Europe, and spent a year in Italy and then eighteen months in England before he eventually returned to France. He had very bad eye sight and by 1755 he was completely blind. Montesquieu died on February 10th, 1755.==== ====Montesquieu was a nobleman, judge in French court and one of the most influential thinkers. He became famous for his theory of separation of powers. [|Separation of Powers]According to him, each branch that was in the governement limited each of the other branches. Montesquieu did not believe that all people were equal and he approved of slavery. He also believed that women were not as powerful was men. He was a political and social philosopher and one of the greatest French men in the Enlightenment. ([|European Enlightenment].)====

**__Timeline__**
** 1689 - January 18, he was born near Bordeaux. Jacques de Secondat his father, a soldier, and Marie Francoise de Pesnel his mother. **

** 1696 - His mother dies. **

** 1700 - He was sent with two orphan cousins to the Oratorian school a Tuilly, near Paris, where he received a classical education. **

** 1705 - He Returns to Bordeaux and studies law. His uncle will leave him his title and fortune if he studies law. **

** 1708 - He receives his license and admitted councilor of the parliament of Guyenne. **

** 1709 - He Moves to Paris. **

** 1713 - he Returns to Bordeaux. His father dies and he becomes the ** ** Head of the family. **

** 1714 - He was appointed councilor of the Bordeaux Parliament. **

** 1715 - He Marries Jeanne de Latrigue. **

** 1716 - His uncle dies leaving him the title //Baron de// ** **// Montesquieu //****, his fortune and his office of President ** ** a Mortier. **

** 1721 - Publication of the //Persian Letters//. **

__**List of Montesquieu’s works**__

 * //Les causes de l'écho// (//The Causes of an Echo//)
 * //Les glandes rénales// (//The Renal Glands//)
 * //La cause de la pesanteur des corps// (//The Cause of Gravity of Bodies//)
 * //La damnation éternelle des païens// (//The Eternal Damnation of the Pagans//, 1711)
 * //Système des Idées// (//System of Ideas//, 1716)
 * //[|Lettres persanes]// (//Persian Letters//, 1721)
 * //Le Temple de Gnide// (//The Temple of Gnide//, a novel; 1724)
 * //Histoire véritable d'Arsace et Isménie// (//(The True History of) Arsace and Isménie//, a novel; 1730)
 * //Considérations sur les causes de la grandeur des Romains et de leur décadence// (//Considerations on the Causes of the Grandeur and Decadence of the Romans//, 1734)
 * //[|De l'esprit des lois]// (//(On) The Spirit of the Laws//, 1748)
 * //La défense de «L'Esprit des lois»// (//In Defence of "The Spirit of the Laws"//, 1750)
 * //Pensées suivies de Spicilège// (//Thoughts after Spicilège//)
 * //Essai sur le goût// (1757)
 * //Le flux et le reflux de la mer//
 * //Mémoires sur la fièvre intermittente//
 * //Mémoires sur l'écho//
 * //Les maladies des glandes rénales//
 * //La pesanteur des corps//
 * //Le mouvement relatif//
 * //Le Spicilège//
 * //Pensées//

**__One important work of Montesquieu__**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">(//Persian Letters//, 1721) these 161 letters written by various fictional correspondents, Montesquieu gives a sharp picture of many facets of Parisian society and the customs of the early eighteenth century. The correspondence also reveals much of the thinking of the time on comparative religions. This work inspired many people to do great things.

**__ Contibutions and Inventions by Montesquieu __**
=== Montesquieu’s most famous writings are the // Persian Letters // and // the Spirit of the Laws. // Both works have their own meaning, and are completely different from each other in every way. There are many more writings that Montesquieu had done. === === In the // Persian Letters // Montesquieu degrades the French monarchy and the Catholic Church. The //Persian Letters// is about two fictional Persians, Rica and Usbek. Usbek and Rica set out for Europe in 1711 and remain there at least until 1720. ===

//Considerations on the Causes of the Grandeur and Decadence of the Romans// is considered a transition from the //Persian Letters// to the //Spirit of the Laws.//
=== The // Spirit of the Laws // was considered his “master work”. The //Spirit of the Laws// is written to talk about human laws and social institutions. Montesquieu also wrote about the denunciation of slavery and the use of reason to liberate humans from their own prejudices, the advocacy of religious toleration, and the attack on traditional religion. === === Montesquieu compares three forms of government, Republican (democracy or aristocracy), Monarchy, and Despotism. Montesquieu says that democracy is a type of government that the citizens of the country get to decide who their ruler is. In aristocracy there is one ruler and they give reasonable laws and are not a greedy leader. The higher class citizens are eligible to be the ruler of their country in aristocracy. In a monarchy, one person governs and they are required to follow the rules that are already set in that country. In a despotic country, there is one ruler and what that ruler says, goes. Without laws to follow, a despot can do whatever he likes. The citizens of that particular country are considered no better than slaves to the despot. ===