Origins & Early Life

Antoine François Prévost d'Exiles (UK: PRAY-voh deg-ZEEL, US: pray-VOH -⁠, French: [ɑ̃twan fʁɑ̃swa pʁevo dɛɡzil]; 1 April 1697 – 25 November 1763), usually known simply as the Abbé Prévost, was a French priest, author, and novelist. He is best remembered for Manon Lescaut (1731), a romance and adventure novel, the most reprinted novel in French literary history. He was born at Hesdin, Artois, and first appears with the full name of Prévost d'Exiles, in a letter to the booksellers of Amsterdam in 1731. His father, Lievin Prévost, was a lawyer, and several members of the family had embraced the ecclesiastical estate.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His happy childhood ended abruptly, when he lost his mother and his younger favorite sister at the age of 14. Prévost was educated at the Jesuit school of Hesdin, and in 1713 became a novice of the order in Paris, pursuing his studies at the same time at the college in La Flèche. At the end of 1716 he left the Jesuits to join the army, but soon tired of military life, and returned to Paris in 1719, apparently with the idea of resuming his novitiate. He is said to have travelled in the Netherlands about this time; in any case he returned to the army...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Canaletto — Contemporary (Born in 1697) (1697): Master Vedutista: Celebrated painter of Venetian and Roman cityscapes.
• William Hogarth — Contemporary (Born in 1697) (1697): Master satirist and engraver, known for 'modern moral subjects' like A Rake's Progress.
• Adalbert Gyrowetz — Contemporary (Born in 1763) (1763): Czech-Austrian composer known for symphonies and string quartets.
• Cao Xueqin — Contemporary (Died in 1763) (1763): Master of Qing Dynasty literature, famed for Dream of the Red Chamber.
• John Jacob Astor — Contemporary (Born in 1763) (1763): German-born American titan who built fortune through the fur trade and real estate.
• Abraham Maslow — Shared historical date (04-01 · Born) (1908): Pioneering American psychologist known for the Hierarchy of Needs and self-actualization theory.
• Asa Butterfield — Shared historical date (04-01 · Born) (1997): English actor known for roles in 'Sex Education' and early film recognition.
• Andrea Doria — Shared historical date (11-25 · Died) (1560): Prominent Genoese statesman, condottiero, and admiral who dominated Mediterranean naval power.
• Andrew Carnegie — Shared historical date (11-25 · Born) (1835): Scottish-American industrialist who pioneered the American steel industry and became a major philanthropist.
• Daniel Defoe — Historical peer (Died in 1731) (1731): Pioneering English novelist, journalist, and merchant of the early 18th century.
• 1697 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1697
• April 1 (04-01) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 1
• 1763 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1763
• November 25 (11-25) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 25