# Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

> French novelist, official and army general (1741–1803)

**Wikidata**: [Q212476](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q212476)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Choderlos_de_Laclos)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pierre-choderlos-de-laclos

## Summary
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos was a French novelist, military officer, and government official who lived from 1741 to 1803. He is best known for authoring the 1782 epistolary novel *Les Liaisons dangereuses*, a landmark work in French literature that explores themes of manipulation and aristocratic decadence. In addition to his literary fame, he served as a general in the French army and held various official government positions during his lifetime.

## Biography
- **Born**: October 18, 1741
- **Nationality**: French (Citizenship: France)
- **Education**: Not specified in source material
- **Known for**: Writing the 1782 epistolary novel *Les Liaisons dangereuses* and serving as a French army general and official
- **Employer(s)**: French Army (Military Officer/General), French Government (Official)
- **Field(s)**: Literature (Novelist, Prose Writer, Writer), Military Affairs, Government Administration

## Contributions
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's primary contribution to culture and history is the publication of *Les Liaisons dangereuses* in 1782. This work is a seminal epistolary novel, meaning it is written entirely as a series of letters, which revolutionized narrative techniques in French literature. Beyond his literary output, he contributed to the French state through his long career as a military officer, rising to the rank of general, and serving as a government official. His work in military affairs and administration supported the French state during a period of significant historical transition, including the era leading up to and during the French Revolution.

## FAQs
**What is Pierre Choderlos de Laclos most famous for?**
He is most renowned for writing *Les Liaisons dangereuses*, published in 1782, which is considered a masterpiece of the epistolary novel genre. This work remains a critical study of 18th-century French aristocracy and moral corruption.

**What military rank did Pierre Choderlos de Laclos achieve?**
He attained the rank of general within the French army, serving as both a military officer and a military commander. His career in the armed forces spanned several decades alongside his literary pursuits.

**Did Pierre Choderlos de Laclos hold any government positions?**
Yes, he served as an official within the French government, holding high government offices during his lifetime. His role as an official complemented his military service and literary career.

**What type of writing did Pierre Choderlos de Laclos produce?**
He was a novelist and prose writer who specialized in the epistolary format. His writing falls under the broader categories of literature and prose, with a specific focus on the novel form.

**When and where was Pierre Choderlos de Laclos born and when did he die?**
He was born on October 18, 1741, and died on September 5, 1803. He was a French national whose life spanned the 18th and early 19th centuries.

## Why They Matter
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos matters because his novel *Les Liaisons dangereuses* fundamentally altered the landscape of French literature and the epistolary genre. By crafting a complex narrative through letters, he provided an unprecedented psychological depth to character development and social critique. His work continues to influence writers and scholars, serving as a primary text for understanding the moral complexities of the pre-revolutionary French aristocracy. Furthermore, his dual career as a high-ranking military general and a government official illustrates the multifaceted nature of public service in 18th-century France, bridging the worlds of armed conflict, administration, and intellectual culture. Without his contributions, the canon of French literature would lack one of its most psychologically intricate and historically significant novels.

## Notable For
- **Author of *Les Liaisons dangereuses***: Wrote the definitive 1782 epistolary novel that remains a classic of world literature.
- **French Army General**: Achieved the high rank of general, serving as a military commander and officer in the French armed forces.
- **Government Official**: Held significant administrative roles as an official in the French government.
- **Epistolary Pioneer**: Mastered the epistolary novel format, a specific sub-genre of fiction written as a series of letters.
- **Multidisciplinary Career**: Successfully balanced careers in literature, military command, and civil administration.
- **Historical Figure**: Lived through and contributed to the era of the French Revolution and the transition from the Ancien Régime to the First French Empire.

## Body

### Early Life and Identity
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos was born on October 18, 1741. He was a French national, a citizen of France, a country located in Western Europe with overseas territories in the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. His full name is recorded with various aliases, including Pierre-Ambroise-François Choderlos de Laclos, Pierre-Ambroise Choderlos de Laclos, and Choderlos de Laclos. He is classified as a human, a member of the species *Homo sapiens*. His life spanned from 1741 to 1803, ending on September 5, 1803.

### Literary Career and Works
Laclos is primarily identified as a novelist, a writer of novels, and a prose writer. His most significant and notable work is *Les Liaisons dangereuses*, published in 1782. This work is categorized specifically as an epistolary novel, a genre defined by being written as a series of letters. As a writer, he used written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works. His field of work included literature and the specific domain of the epistolary novel. He is also categorized as a journalist in some contexts, though his primary fame rests on his novelistic output. The work *Les Liaisons dangereuses* is a landmark publication that established his reputation as a major literary figure of the 18th century.

### Military Service and Command
In addition to his literary pursuits, Laclos was a dedicated military officer and a member of an armed force who held a position of authority. He rose to the rank of general, serving as a military commander who commanded military forces. His career in military affairs encompassed the collective term for everything concerning the military, including legal regulations and the training of soldiers. He served as an officer in the French army, contributing to the defense and administration of the French state. His military career was concurrent with his literary work, demonstrating a dual commitment to the arts and the armed forces.

### Government and Official Roles
Laclos also served as an official, defined as someone who holds a high government office. His role as an official placed him within the administrative structure of the French government. This position required him to engage in the governance and management of state affairs. His service as an official complemented his military rank, providing a comprehensive view of his public service career. He was a citizen of France, a semi-presidential republic, and his work contributed to the functioning of the state during a turbulent historical period.

### Legacy and Historical Context
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos died on September 5, 1803, leaving behind a legacy as a French novelist, official, and army general. His life and work are documented in various academic and library databases, with identifiers such as the GND (118568604), ISNI (0000000120250670), and VIAF (46758913). He is associated with the field of military affairs and the genre of the epistolary novel. His contributions to French literature and the military are recognized in historical records and sitelinks across multiple languages. The country of France, where he lived and worked, has a rich history dating back to the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and the establishment of West Francia, evolving through the First French Empire in 1804, a period that followed his death but was shaped by the era in which he lived. His work remains a vital part of the cultural heritage of France, a nation known for its motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" and its significant global influence.

## References

1. Bibliothèque nationale de France
2. BnF authorities
3. Integrated Authority File
4. [Grenoble-Alpes Métropole](https://data.metropolegrenoble.fr/ckan/dataset/le-patrimoine-grenoblois)
5. Czech National Authority Database
6. The Fine Art Archive
7. Library of the World's Best Literature
8. [Source](https://francearchives.gouv.fr/fr/pages_histoire/39843)
9. International Standard Name Identifier
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13. [Source](https://francearchives.fr/fr/file/ad46ac22be9df6a4d1dae40326de46d8a5cbd19d/FRSHD_PUB_00000355.pdf)
14. SNAC
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21. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
22. [Source](https://www.bartleby.com/library/bios/index10.html)
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31. [Source](https://data.mimotext.uni-trier.de/entity/Q240)
32. [Source](http://data.mimotext.uni-trier.de/entity/Q240)