edward gibbon the history of the decline

As an accomplished author, Gibbon decided to return to Lausanne, coincidentally about the time of the French Revolution he was moderately encouraged by the events in France but as the revolution progressed, he became discouraged by its violent character. The second and third volumes were received with less enthusiasm than the first. He was criticized for both restating familiar arguments that had been levelled by infidels against Christianity since late antiquity and manipulating the historical record. According to David Womersley, editor of Penguin History, Gibbon had managed 'to displease all stripes of religious opinions from High Church dogmatists to dissenters' (xix). Future editions came later in June of 1776, 1777, and 1781. In February of 1776, the first volume of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was published it was received well. 9th century to 1453: the fall of Constantinople.527-565) to Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (r. 98-117 CE) to the fall of the Western Roman Empire

Gibbon's multi-volume history consisted of three separate sections: During a meeting with the Scottish philosopher David Hume, he was encouraged to write his history but to write it in English, not French. In 1768, he left Continental Europe and returned to England, where he continued to serve in the militia as well as the House of Commons.

The tour had a significant impact on the young author and he wrote to his father that he became an enemy of empires as a political form but a friend to the freedom of nations. It was during this time that he first considered writing on the fall of the Roman Empire. Then, he travelled to Italy, visiting Florence, Rome, Naples, and Venice.

Edward gibbon the history of the decline