author
François Chicoyneau
1672–1752
A leading French physician of the early Enlightenment, he rose from Montpellier’s medical world to become First Physician to King Louis XV. He is especially remembered for his role in studying and reporting on the Great Plague of Marseille.
1 Audiobook
A Succinct Account of the Plague at Marseilles Its Symptoms and the Methods and Medicines Used for Curing It
by François Chicoyneau, Monsieur Soulier, active 1720-1721 Monsieur Verny
About the author
Born in Montpellier on April 23, 1672, François Chicoyneau built his career in one of France’s great medical centers. He became a doctor, taught anatomy and botany, and went on to serve as chancellor of the University of Montpellier, showing how closely his life was tied to both medicine and learning.
His reputation eventually carried him to court, where he became First Physician to King Louis XV. That royal appointment placed him among the most prominent physicians in France and reflected the trust he had earned through both scholarship and practice.
Chicoyneau is also remembered for his connection to the Great Plague of Marseille, a crisis that made his medical work part of a much larger public story. He died at Versailles on April 13, 1752, leaving behind the image of a physician who moved between university life, royal service, and the urgent challenges of public health.