François Laurent
François Laurent, painting by Lievin de Winne
François Laurent (born July 8, 1810 in Luxembourg , † February 11, 1887 in Ghent ) was a Belgian legal scholar and historian.
Laurent studied law at the Universities of Leuven and Liège , was a lawyer in his hometown from 1832–34 and was appointed professor of civil law at the University of Ghent in 1835, where he died on February 11, 1887.
His main works, which are distinguished by thoroughness of research, breadth of perspective and ingenious ideas, are
- Études sur l'histoire de l'humanité. Histoire du droit des gens (Brussels 1860–70, 18 vols.);
- Principes de droit civil français (Brussels 1869–79, 33 vols., Award-winning);
- Cours élémentaire de droit civil français (1878, 4 vols.);
- Le droit civil international (1880–82, 8 vols.).
He also wrote several occasional pamphlets in defense of liberal principles against the clericals:
- De la passion des catholiques pour la liberté (Ghent 1850);
- Van Espen, étude historique sur l'Église et l'État en Belgique (Brussels 1860–63, 3 parts .; Vol. 1 and 2 in 2nd edition 1865);
- Lettres d'un retardataire libéral à un progressiste catholique (Brussels. 1863, 2nd ed. 1864);
- Lettres sur la question des cimetières (Brussels 1864, 2 parts);
- Lettres sur les Jésuites (Brussels 1865).
He made a great contribution to the introduction of the savings bank system in Belgium.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Laurent, François |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Luxembourg lawyer and historian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 8, 1810 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Luxembourg City |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 11, 1887 |
| Place of death | Ghent |