Michel de Montaigne

Lore & Background

Montaigne was born in the Guyenne region of France on the family estate Château de Montaigne. His father, Pierre Eyquem, was mayor of Bordeaux and a Catholic soldier. Montaigne's mother, Antoinette López de Villanueva, was a convert to Protestantism, and her family had Marrano (Sephardic Jewish) origins. Montaigne's education began in early childhood with a plan devised by his father: he lived with a peasant family for three years, then was tutored in Latin by a German doctor who did not speak French, and later attended the College of Guienne in Bordeaux, mastering the curriculum by age thirteen. He studied law and entered the local legal system.

Reader's Guide

Montaigne served as a councillor of the Court des Aides of Périgueux and later as councillor of the Parlement in Bordeaux. He was awarded the collar of the Order of Saint Michael. During his lifetime, Montaigne was admired more as a statesman than as an author; his digressive style was seen as detrimental to proper style, and his declaration 'I am myself the matter of my book' was viewed as self-indulgent. Over time, he came to be recognized as embodying the spirit of critical thought and open inquiry. His Essais contain some of the most influential essays ever written, and he is best known for his skeptical remark, 'What do I know?' ('Que sçay-je?').

Did You Know?

• Montaigne's mother, Antoinette López de Villanueva, was a convert to Protestantism and came from a wealthy Marrano family.
• Montaigne's close friend Étienne de La Boétie died likely of plague or tuberculosis in 1563, four years after their meeting.
• Montaigne's daughter Léonor was the only one of six children to survive infancy.