Thou, Jacques Auguste de

Thou, Jacques Auguste de

(zhäk ôgüst` də to͞o), 1553–1617, French historian and magistrate. As a member of the Parlement of Paris, Thou rendered outstanding service to Henry IV. The first volumes of his great History of His Own Times (1604–8, in Latin), covering the Wars of Religion of the 16th cent., aroused Roman Catholic opposition because of his strictures against the Catholic League and his Gallican leanings. The complete work was published at Geneva in 1620 (tr., 2 vol., 1724–34). His son, François Auguste de Thou, 1607–42, played a minor role in the conspiracy of his friend Cinq MarsCinq Mars, Henri Coëffier Ruzé d'Effiat, marquis de
, 1620–42, French conspirator. Introduced at court by Cardinal Richelieu at an early age, Cinq Mars rapidly rose in King Louis XIII's favor and was made master of the horse.
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, but was executed for failing to reveal it to the authorities.

Bibliography

See study of J. A. de Thou's works by S. Kinser (1966).