Why did James Fenimore Cooper live in Europe from 1826 to 1833?

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Jarvis, John Wesley: James Fenimore Cooper — James Fenimore Cooper *James Fenimore Cooper*, painting by John Wesley Jarvis, 1822; in the Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York.

James Fenimore Cooper moved to Europe for a seven-year stay from 1826 to 1833 primarily to provide for the education of his son and four daughters.1

During this period, his time abroad coincided with significant political upheaval in Europe. Through his close friendship with the American Revolutionary War hero Lafayette, Cooper remained deeply engaged with the continent's political developments. This experience further solidified his commitment to the principles of political democracy, which he subsequently championed in his writing, including his novel The Bravo (1831).1