François Pierre Guillaume Guizot was born on 4 October 1787 in Nîmes to a bourgeois Protestant family. His father was executed during the Reign of Terror in 1794, leaving his mother to raise him. They fled to Geneva, where Guizot received an education influenced by both Calvinism and the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He learned carpentry and later moved to Paris, where he became a tutor and began writing for a journal. His literary career took off with a favorable review of Chateaubriand's work in 1809. Guizot married Pauline de Meulan in 1812, who died in 1827, and later married her niece, Elisa Dillon.Guizot's academic career began when he was appointed to the chair of modern history at the Sorbonne in 1812. He became involved in politics during the Restoration, serving as secretary-general of the ministry of the interior under King Louis XVIII. After Napoleon's return from exile, he resigned and returned to literary pursuits. He was later appointed secretary-general of the ministry of justice but resigned again in 1816. In 1819, he co-founded the Liberal journal Le Courrier français and became a prominent figure among the Doctrinaires, advocating for a constitutional monarchy.Guizot was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1830 and became a key supporter of Louis Philippe after the July Revolution. He served as Minister of Education from 1832 to 1837, where he expanded public education and established primary schools across France. His tenure was marked by opposition to extending suffrage beyond propertied men, which alienated more radical liberals. As Prime Minister from 1847 to 1848, he banned political meetings that sought electoral reform, a decision that contributed to the February Revolution of 1848, leading to his resignation and the establishment of the Second Republic.After leaving office, Guizot fled to England, where he continued his historical writings. He published works on the English Revolution and his memoirs, reflecting on his political experiences. He returned to France in 1850 and remained active in literary and academic circles, contributing to various learned societies. Guizot's later years were spent at his residence in Normandy, where he focused on teaching his grandchildren and writing. He died on 12 September 1874, having maintained a significant influence on French historical and political thought throughout his life.

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François Guizot