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Primary sourceBookpublished 1834

Tibère et Louis XI

Montesquieu · published 1834

Montesquieu's short comparative essay contrasting the Roman emperor Tiberius and the French king Louis XI, published in 1834.

This comparative essay on rulers was written by Montesquieu himself, reflecting his views on political power.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

In this short piece, Montesquieu compares the Roman emperor Tiberius and the French king Louis XI, examining their characters, their rise to power, and how each used deception to rule. The text was published in 1834, after Montesquieu's death, and survives in French on Wikisource.

Why it matters

The comparison shows Montesquieu's method of using historical figures to explore ideas about power, dissimulation and rule — themes central to his later political writing. By weighing a Roman emperor against a French king, he connects ancient and more recent history to draw lessons about tyranny and statecraft.

Look closer

  • Why might Montesquieu compare a Roman emperor to a French medieval king rather than writing about each separately?
  • What qualities does he judge most important in a ruler, based on how he contrasts the two?
  • How does comparing historical figures help a writer make an argument about politics in general?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Baron de Montesquieu on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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