Languet, Hubert

Languet, Hubert one of the most prominent French writers of the 16th century, was born at Viteaux, near Autun, in 1578. He studied theology, canon law, history, and natural sciences in Poictiers, Padua, and Bologna; visited also Spain, and was, by the reading of Melanchthon's Loci Theologici, induced to go to Wittenberg, where he remained from 1549 to 1560, making frequent journeys in Germany and Scandinavia. At what period he definitely embraced the Reformation is not known. In 1560 Languet entered the service of the elector of Saxony, which he left in 1577. The last years of his life he spent in the Netherlands) in intimate connection with William of Orange. Languet died at Antwerp, September 30, 1581. His letters, which are of the greatest interest for the history of his time, were edited by Ludovicus, under the title Arcana Seculi XVI, Huberti Langueti Epistolae (Halle, 1669). But his main work is Vindiciae contra Tyrannos (Edinburgh and Basle, 1579; French transl. by Francois, Paris, 1581; German by Freitzschke, Leipsic, 1846). In an elaborate manner he treats the question whether subjects (for instance, Protestants) have a right to revolt when oppressed for their religion's sake by their princes. See Philibert de La Mare, Vie de Languet (Halle, 1700); Chevreul, Etude sur le Seizieme Siecle, Iubert Languet (2d ed. Paris, 1856); Haag, La France Protestante; ViguLie, Etude sur les Theories Politiques-Liberales au Seizieme Siecle; Hotman, La Franco-Gallia (Paris, 1879); Scholz, Hubert Languet als kursachsischer Berichterstatter und Gesandter in Franklreich (1560-1572; Halle, 1875); Blasel, Hubert Languet (Oppeln, 1872); Plitt-Herzog, Real- Encyklop. s.v.; Lichtenberger, Encyclop. des Sciences Religieuses, s.v. (B.P.)