Louis Claude Frédéric Masson (8 March 1847, Paris – 19 February 1923, Paris) was a French historian.

Life and career

His father, Francis Masson, a solicitor, was killed on 23 June 1848 when he was a major in the ''garde nationale''. Young Masson was educated at the college of Sainte Barbe, and at the

lycée Louis-le-Grand The Lycée Louis-le-Grand (), also referred to simply as Louis-le-Grand or by its acronym LLG, is a public Lycée (French secondary school, also known as sixth form college) located on rue Saint-Jacques in central Paris. It was founded in the ...

, and then travelled in Germany and in England. From 1869 to 1880 he was librarian at the Foreign Office. At first he devoted himself to the history of

diplomacy Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. ...

, and published between 1877 and 1884 several volumes connected with that subject. Later he published a number of more or less curious memoirs illustrating the history of the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

and of the

empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

. But he is best known for his books connected with

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

. In ''Napoléon inconnu'' (1895), Masson, together with Guido Biagi, brought out the unpublished writings (1786-1793) of the future emperor. These were notes, extracts from historical, philosophical and literary books, and personal reflections in which one can watch the growth of the ideas later carried out by the emperor with modifications necessitated by the force of circumstances and his own genius. But this was only one in a remarkable series: *''

Joséphine de Beauharnais Josephine may refer to: People * Josephine (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Josephine (singer), a Greek pop singer Places *Josephine, Texas, United States *Mount Josephine (disambiguation) * Josephine Cou ...

, 1763-1796'' (1898) *''Joséphine, impératrice et reine'' (1899) *''Joséphine répudiée 1809-1814'' (1901) *''L'Impératrice Marie Louise'' (1902) *''Napoléon et les femmes'' (1894) *''Napoléon et sa famille'' (9 vols., 1897-1907) *''Napoléon et son fils'' (1904) *''Autour de l'Île d'Elbe'' (1908). These works abound in details and amusing anecdotes, which throw much light on the events and men of the time, laying stress on the personal, romantic and dramatic aspects of history. The author was made a member of the Académie française in 1903. From 1886 to 1889 he edited the review ''Arts and Letters'', published in London and New York. A bibliography of his works, including anonymous ones and those under an assumed name, has been published by

Georges Vicaire Georges Vicaire (8 December 1853 – 4 November 1921) was a French bibliophile and bibliographer. The son of (1802-1865), General Director of forests, and Marthe Vicaire Blais, Georges Vicaire was the father of Jean Vicaire and (1893–1976), an ...

(''Manuel de l'amateur des livres du XIX siècle'', tome v., 1904). ''Napoléon et les femmes'' has been translated into English as ''Napoleon and the Fair Sex'' (1894). Another translation by J. M. Howell appeared under the title: ''Napoleon: lover and husband'' (1894). His personal library, his papers, his collection of paintings and objects about Napoléon are conserved now in the

Fondation Dosne-Thiers The Fondation Dosne-Thiers is a history library located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris at 27, place St-Georges, Paris, France. It is open to researchers who obtain recommendations from a member of the Institut de France. Description The fou ...

, 27 place Saint-Georges, 75009 Paris (France).

References

External links

Frédéric Masson
on data.bnf.fr * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Masson, Frederic 19th-century French historians 20th-century French historians 1847 births 1923 deaths Writers from Paris Members of the Académie Française Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Members of the Ligue de la patrie française French biographers