| Surname | Constant (de Rebecque) | |
| First Name | Benjamin | |
| Gender | male | |
| Place of birth | Lausanne | |
| Place of death | Paris | |
| Year of birth | 1767 | |
| Year of death | 1830 | |
| Profession | Writer, public official | |
| Religion | Protestant | |
| Place(s) of activity | Lausanne, Paris, Leipzig | |
| Century | 18 / 19 | |
| Biographical information |
Son of Louis-Arnold-Juste (an officer in the service of Holland) and Henriette de Chandieu, who died as a result of childbirth. In 1789 he married Wilhelmine von Cramm, Lady-in-Waiting to the Duchess of Brunswick. Following Wilhelmine's death he married Charlotte de Hardenberg in 1808. He was a talented child and attended several European universities early: Oxford (1780); Erlangen (1782); and Edinburgh (1785). In 1787 he met Isabelle de Charrière in Paris. She recognized his talents and guided him in his first works. From 1778 to 1794 he was Chamberlain at the court of Brunswick. It was here that Constant met Germaine de Staël, with whom he had a romantic relationship for several years. Thanks to his connections he was able to start in politics and made himself known as a skilful defender of moderate Republicans. He attempted to guide the regime towards English-style parliamentarianism, but this only led to him being excluded from the Tribunate in 1802. In 1814 he supported the Restoration and rallied for the Charter granted by Louis XVIII; while during the Hundred Days he backed Napoleon and a constitution even more liberal than the Charter. He was the author of a large body of work in the fields of both politics and literature. Through his articles in the press; by his overflowing activity in the Chamber (1819—1822 and 1824—1830); and by his publications, Constant exercised considerable influence not only in France but among all the European emancipation movements. |
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| Title | (f) Journal de Benjamin de Constant-Rebecque. Autographe. Ma Vie. | |
| Genre / Art |
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| Additional genre details | ||
| Period writen | 1811 | |
| Period covered | 25 October 1767 - 1811 | |
| Format / Language | French, copy | |
| Physical description | 108 feuillets, 18.5 x 23.5 cm |
| Content | He writes in detail of his childhood and education, as well as his relationships with women. |
| Place of deposit | BPUN |
| Classification | Papiers Ph. Godet ms. 3021/1 |
| Document | |
| Transcription | |
| Restrictions | |
| Edition(s) |
Constant de Rebecque, Benjamin, Ma vie : (le cahier rouge), édité par C. P. Courtney, Cambridge : Daemon Press, 1991. |
| Secondary litterature | |
| Other sources | |
| Related documents | |
| Author | FF |
