De asse et partibus eius, a detailed treatise on ancient currency and measurements, established the reputation of Guillaume Budé as a leading humanist in the early 16th century. Born in Paris in 1467, he transitioned from an idle youth to a rigorous scholar who transformed the study of classical philology and Roman law within the Kingdom of France.
Academic Development and Philology
After attending the University of Orléans to study law, Budé abandoned his early dissipated lifestyle at age twenty-four to pursue intensive research. He focused on mastering renaissance Latin and Ancient Greek, eventually applying philological methods to legal texts. His 1508 work, Annotationes in XXIV libros Pandectarum, utilized historical analysis to influence the contemporary study of Roman law. He later published Commentarii linguae Graecae in 1529, a lexicographical collection that significantly advanced Greek literature studies.
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Budé maintained a close relationship with Francis I, serving as Maître de la Librairie du Roi from 1522 until 1540. He leveraged his royal favor to persuade the monarch to establish the Collège de France and the royal library at the Palace of Fontainebleau. Additionally, he successfully intervened in 1533 to prevent the Sorbonne from prohibiting the practice of printing in France. Beyond his academic lobbying, he served as an ambassador to Rome and occupied the role of Prévôt des marchands de Paris between 1522 and 1523.
Philosophical Output and Legacy
His bibliography remains extensive, featuring notable philosophical and administrative writings such as De philologia, De tranquillitate et securitate animi, and De l'institution du prince. Budé corresponded frequently with Erasmus and Thomas More, writing with high proficiency in both Greek and Latin. Following his death in Paris in 1540, his legacy became complex; his wife's move to Geneva and her open profession of Protestantism led to accusations that Budé himself harbored Calvinist sympathies, a claim later contested by family historians.
Fast facts
- Born: 1467, Paris
- Died: 1540, Paris
- Primary occupations: Jurist, librarian, philologist, translator
- Notable work: De asse et partibus eius
- Key employer: Collège de France
- Role: Maître de la Librairie du Roi (1522-1540)
- Languages: Renaissance Latin, Middle French
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of De asse et partibus eius?
It was a influential 1514 treatise on ancient coins and measures that solidified his reputation as a major scholar.
Did Budé support the printing press?
Yes, in 1533 he induced Francis I to reject a proposal by the Sorbonne to prohibit printing in France.
Achievements
- Notable work: De asse et partibus eius
- Notable work: De philologia
- Notable work: De tranquillitate et securitate animi
- Notable work: De l'institution du prince
- Held posts at Collège de France
- Fields: philology
