Rapin, Paul de (1661–1725)

French historian. He was a Protestant and, on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, he enlisted in the Dutch army and came to England with William of Orange in 1688, taking part in the Irish campaign and being present at the siege of Carrickfergus and battles of the Boyne and Limerick. He left the army in 1693 and settled at Wesel, Germany, where he began his great work L'Histoire d'Angleterre/The History of England (1724), covering the period from the Roman invasion to the death of Charles I. Rapin was born at Castres, Tarn, France.