Biography of Alphonse de Lamartine

Words of commitment

21 October 1790
28 February 1869
Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine was born on 21 October 1790 in Mâcon, in Burgundy France. He spent his youth in Milly, in their family's country house. From the earliest periods of study is interested in the disciplines of literature, being passionate for Roman poets like Chateaubriand. In 1808 he finished his studies: according to tradition, should undertake a military career but his father Pierre de Lamartine, Cadet of a family of minor nobility--tied to the Bourbons, doesn't want Alphonse's for the Empire in any way: so in 1811 he was sent to kick back in Italy, where some cousins live between Livorno, Pisa and Naples. In Naples he had his first experience with a local girl, Antonella Jacomino, who will remember years later in his "Graziella".
Even after he visited the Italy staying in Florence. In March 1820 he was appointed Ambassador to Naples, but two months after renouncing the new assignment to marry (on June 5) to Chambery, English Protestant Mary Ann Elisa Birch: the couple takes residence in the castle that the father has given in dowry to Saint-Point, near Mâcon. In February 1821 was born in Rome the first son Alphonse, who will live only until November 1823; in may 1822 he was born in Macon, a daughter, Julia, destined to die early in 1832. Alphonse de Lamartine in 1820 the "Méditations poétiques", sentimental poems inspired by love for Julie Charles, which merged with the early 18th-century romantic tradition elegiac expression. The works that make it popular Alphonse de Lamartine are the "nouvelles meditations poétiques" (1823), "Le dernier chant du pèlerinage of Harold" (1825) and Harmonies poétiques et religieuses "above all" (1830). Is also involved in politics as a diplomat, then after the July Revolution (or second French Revolution of 1830) became member of Parliament (1834) and Foreign Minister (1848) during the provisional Government.
With the advent of Napoleon III, put politically aloof, Alphonse de Lamartine devoted all their energy to literary activity. This is how in this period works characterized predominantly by autobiographical elements: "Nouvelles confidences" (1851), "Raphael: pages de la vingtième année" (1849), "Graziella" (1852), "Geneviève: histoire d'une servante" (1850) and "Le tailleur de pierres du Pont" (1851). Date back to this period his historical works "Histoire de la Restauration" (1854), "Histoire de la Turquie (1854)," Histoire de la Russie "(1855) and" Cours familier de littérature "(1856, divided into 28 volumes). The last years of French writer's life are sad: Mary Ann wife dies in 1863; in 1867 has suffered a stroke that deprives him of the use of the word. The Government acknowledges a grant of half a million francs; also the city of Paris provides him a villa in Passy, where Alphonse de Lamartine died on 28 February 1869.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.