author
Joseph Toussaint Reinaud
1795–1867
A leading 19th-century French orientalist, he helped bring Arabic and Persian sources into European historical scholarship. His work ranged from manuscripts and coins to the history of medieval contact between the Islamic world and Europe.
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About the author
Born in Lambesc in 1795, he moved to Paris in 1815 and studied under the influential scholar Silvestre de Sacy. Early in his career he spent time in Rome, where he investigated manuscripts and developed a lasting interest in Islamic numismatics.
He went on to work in the department of oriental manuscripts at the Royal Library, later becoming a curator there. He also succeeded de Sacy as professor of Arabic at the École des langues orientales and was elected to the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, reflecting the high regard he earned in French scholarly life.
His books and editions helped readers in France engage more seriously with Arabic and Persian historical writing. Among the works most often remembered are his studies of Islamic coins, his research on Arab invasions in parts of Europe, and his translations and collections on medieval travel and relations between East and West.