Thierry, Jacques Nicolas Augustin (1795–1856)

French historian of the Romantic school.

On leaving school he became secretary to Claude Saint-Simon, at whose suggestion he published his first work, De la reorganisation de la societe europeenne/Reorganization of European Society (1814). He became blind in 1826, but continued his historical studies. His Histoire de la Conquete de L'Angleterre par les Normands/History of the Norman Conquest of England was published in 1825. Thierry belongs to the now unfashionable school of Romantic historians, but his accurate scholarship makes his work of lasting value, in spite of its somewhat florid style.

He was born at Blois. His other works include Lettres sur l'histoire de France/Writings on French History (1820); Dix ans d'etudes historiques/Ten Years of Historical Studies (1834); Recits des temps merovingiens, and Recueil des Monuments inedits de l'histoire du Tiers Etat (1850–70).