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Why did Michel de Montaigne reluctantly become mayor of Bordeaux?
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Michel de Montaigne
French writer Michel de Montaigne.
Michel de Montaigne was reluctant to accept the position of mayor of Bordeaux for two primary reasons: the dismal political climate in France during the Wars of Religion and his own poor health, as he suffered from kidney stones at the time.1
Despite these reservations, he ultimately assumed the office in 1581 at the specific request of King Henry III and served two terms until 1585.1