author
Gabriel Hanotaux
1853–1944
A French statesman and historian, he helped shape France's foreign policy in the 1890s while also building a lasting reputation through major historical works. His career joined politics, diplomacy, and scholarship in a way that still makes him a notable figure of the French Third Republic.
1 Audiobook
Champlain
by Gabriel Hanotaux
About the author
Born on November 19, 1853, in Aisne, Gabriel Hanotaux trained as a historian before moving into public life. He became known both as a diplomat and as a politician, and he served twice as France's minister of foreign affairs in the 1890s.
Hanotaux played an important part in French foreign policy at a time of imperial rivalry and shifting European alliances. He is especially remembered for supporting the Franco-Russian alliance and for his role in France's expansionist policy in Africa during the late 19th century.
Alongside politics, he had a substantial literary and scholarly career. He wrote historical works, including studies of Cardinal Richelieu and French national history, and he was elected to the Académie française in 1897. He died in Paris on April 11, 1944.