Montaigne: a life

Ambitions. The Eyquems' social ascension

A first career as a magistrate (1556-1570)

La Boétie and Montaigne : discourse on servitude and essay of allegiance

"Witness my cannibals" : the encounter with the Indians of the new world

The making of a gentleman (1570-1580)

The essais of 1580 : moral, political, and military discourses.

Practices. The call of Rome, or how Montaigne never became an ambassador (1580-1581)

"Messieurs of Bordeaux elected me mayor of their city" (1581-1585)

"Benignity of the great" and "public ruin" (1585-1588)

The marginalization of Montaigne (1588-1592).

Post mortem. Montaigne's political posterity.