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Laurent Angliviel de La BeaumelleFrench publicist.
Date of Birth: 28.01.1726
Country:  France |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Encounter with Voltaire and Literary Feud
- Notes sur le Siècle de Louis XIV and Imprisonment
- Mmoires pour servir l'histoire de M-me Maintenon and Exile
- Life in Toulouse and Death
- Legacy and Influence of Voltaire
Early Life and Education
Laurent Angliviel de La Beaumelle was born on January 28, 1726, in Geneva, Switzerland. His Protestant family raised him in the Catholic faith, but he later converted to the Reformed Church of his hometown. La Beaumelle pursued his education, teaching French literature in Copenhagen.
Encounter with Voltaire and Literary Feud
In 1751, La Beaumelle's life took a significant turn when he met François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire in Berlin. The encounter proved to be a disaster, escalating into a bitter quarrel that shaped La Beaumelle's literary career.
Notes sur le Siècle de Louis XIV and Imprisonment
In 1753, La Beaumelle published his "Notes sur le Siècle de Louis XIV," a three-volume critique of Voltaire's famous history of the French monarchy. The work earned him a six-month imprisonment in the Bastille.
Mmoires pour servir l'histoire de M-me Maintenon and Exile
In 1756, La Beaumelle's troubles continued when he published "Mémoires pour servir l'histoire de M-me Maintenon," which included letters by the secret wife of Louis XIV. The publication resulted in another arrest and a year in prison. Upon his release, he was banished from Paris.
Life in Toulouse and Death
La Beaumelle found refuge in Toulouse, where he secured a position at the Royal Library. He remained there until his death on November 17, 1773.
Legacy and Influence of Voltaire
The conflict with Voltaire had a profound impact on La Beaumelle's life and work. Many of his writings were dedicated to criticizing Voltaire's ideas and disputing his historical interpretations. According to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, La Beaumelle's literary prominence stemmed primarily from his "bitter literary feud" with Voltaire.
