Michel de Montaigne

Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592) was a French Renaissance philosopher and writer widely regarded as the father of the modern essay. Born into a noble family in the Périgord region of France, he served as a magistrate and mayor of Bordeaux before retiring to his family's château to devote himself to writing. His landmark work, "The Complete Essays," is a rich, introspective collection in which he examines human nature, politics, education, and experience with remarkable candour and wit. Montaigne's pioneering use of the first-person voice and sceptical inquiry left an enduring mark on Western literature and philosophy.