The Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne Page A

Gentleman of the Chamber by Charles IX.
Birth of Léonor (the only one of his six daughters to live).
     
1572
24 August
: massacre of Saint Bartholomew’s Day. Uprisings at La Rochelle (a stronghold of the Reformed Church).
Publication of the French translation of the
Moral Works
of Plutarch by Bishop Amyot. It joins other authors studied by Montaigne in the tower of his château.
     
1572–4 During the civil wars Montaigne joins the royalist forces. Montaigne dispatched to Bordeaux to advise the Parlement to strengthen their defences.
     
1574 Anonymous publication (adapted to Reformed propaganda) of La Boëtie's short treatise
De la Servitude volontaire
.
     
1575 Reads Sextus Empiricus’
Hypotyposes
.
     
1576 Strikes a medal with the Greek motto
I abstain
. He is working on his
Apology of Raimon Sebon
.
     
1577 Henri de Navarre names Montaigne Gentleman of the Chamber. About this time suffers his first attack of the stone.
     
1580–81
1 March
: publication of the
Essays
(Simon Millanges, Bordeaux). Montaigne leaves on his travels. At Paris he offers his book to Henri III, who is delighted with it. On his travels (partly to take the waters) Montaigne visits Plombières, Mülhauser, Basle, Baden, Augsburg, Munich, Innsbruck, the Tyrol, Padua, Venice, Ferrara and Rome (which was reached on 30 November). At Rome his books are impounded, but relations are good. The maestro di Palazzo offers suggestions for changes to be made by Montaigne in his
Essays
, without further interference. Montaigne has an audience of the Pope, Gregory XIII. On his way back he makes a pilgrimage to Loretto and has medals of the Virgin blessed for his wife and daughter as well as himself. Travels via Florence and Pisa and the baths at Lucca.
17 September
: leaves on learning that royal approval requires him to become Mayor of Bordeaux.
30 September
: arrives home.
     
1582 Second edition of the
Essays
published with the same publisher. Gregory XIII reforms the calendar, a reform accepted in France, but not in England.
     
1583 Montaigne re-elected Mayor of Bordeaux for a further two years.
     
1582–5 During his Mayoralty Montaigne visits Paris and often stays on his estates. Henri de Navarre, now heir to the throne, visits Montaigne and stays in his château. Montaigne is concerned with high politics as well as local affairs. In 1585 the plague ravages Bordeaux. Montaigne, absent, does not return to the town: he and his family are forced to leave their home, Montaigne, and wander about in search of a safe lodging.
     
1587
24 October
: the King of Navarre dines at Montaigne.
     
1588
16 February
: Montaigne, en route for Paris, is attacked and robbed by soldiers of
La Ligue
. His goods and freedom are restored to him. His third edition of the
Essays
is published in Paris by L’Angelier.
Mlle de Gournay sends him greetings from her lodgings in Paris. Montaigne visits her. She becomes eventually his
fille d’alliance
, virtually an adopted daughter.
June
: publication of the greatly expanded edition of the
Essays
, which now includes a new third book (Paris, L’Angelier).
10 July
: Montaigne is arrested in Paris and sent to the Bastille apparently to serve as a hostage. He is restored to freedom the same day by order of Catherine de’ Medici.
     
1589
2 August
: death of Henri III.
     
    Montaigne begins working on a further expanded edition of the
Essays
.
1590
18 June
: marriage of Montaigne’s daughter Léonor to François de La Tour. Though ill, Montaigne writes to Henri de Navarre (now Henri IV), who replies to him (20 July) and invites him to come as (probably) his adviser.
     
1591 Birth of François de La Tour, Montaigne's grand-daughter.
     
1592
13 September
: death of Montaigne during a Mass said in his bed-chamber.
     
1595 Montaigne's widow, Pierre de Brach and Marie de Gournay produce the first posthumous edition of the
Essays
incorporating Montaigne's last additions and changes.
     
1601 Death of Montaigne's