MĂ©moires
Memoirs of the Duke of Saint-Simon
early modern europe
enlightenment
firsthand account
memoirs
history
Saint-Simon wrote his Memoirs in 1739-1749 and they cover events which took place between 1691 and 1723 (the last ~20 years of the reign of Louis XIV and the Regency period). The Duke attended the court of Louis XIV and he was personally involved in political event during the Regency. His portrayal of the Sun King is largely unsympathetic.
The first complete edition of the original manuscript was published in 21 volumes, during the post-Waterloo Restoration of the ancien regime (in 1829-1830). The first BibliothÚque de la Pléiade edition was published in 1947-1961 and the second Pléiade edition (the definitive version) in 1981-1990.
The complete memoirs total around 3,000 pages and are divided into 9 volumes. They are highly prized for their literary style (and humor!) as well as their historical insight.
