Historiettes

The Historiettes are a collection of short biographies written by Gédéon Tallemant des Réaux, a French writer. Completed around 1659 and published in the 19th century, these works offer entertaining and informative accounts of prominent figures in 17th-century Parisian society and French public life. Tallemant des Réaux gathered information from various sources, including firsthand accounts from individuals who knew the subjects well, aiming to record interesting details not found in official histories. While initially met with skepticism, research has largely confirmed the reliability of the information presented in the Historiettes, making them a valuable historical resource. A historiette, in general, is simply a short history or story.12