Jean de la Fontaine was born at Château Thierry (Thierry’s Castle), to Françcoise Pidoux, 39, who already had a daughter from another marriage, and Charles de la Fontaine, 27, maitre des Eaux et Forêts and Capitaine des Chasses du Duché de Château-Thierry (titles belonging to the bourgeoisie.)

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After studying up to year 9 in Château Thierry’s school, where he learnt Latin language in particular, he enters the Oratory in St. Honoré Street. The peace of the settings made it possible for him to devote to his passion: reading.

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He studies law in Paris, where he hangs with young jurist poets, like Maucroix, Pellisson, Furetière, Charpentier, Tallemant les Réaux and Antoine de la Sablière.

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Following his father’s orders, Jean, aged 26, marries Marie Héricart, 14. He assumes with difficulty the obligations of marriage.

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He graduates as a lawyer from Paris Parliament.

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His only son, Charles de la Fontaine is born to Jean and Marie. The fabulist will be very distant from his son.

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After his father’s death, he inherits his two titles: maître des Eaux et Forêts and Capitaine des Chasses. However, he is experimenting financial problems, which leads to the couple having to separate their ownership of property. During his frequent trips to Paris, la Fontaine sees his friends and mixes with the époque’s finest and above all libertine societies. There he meets up with Maucroix, his friend from childhood, Furetière, the Tallemant brothers and Antoine de la Sablière. His passion for poetry increases.He dedicates the poem “Andonis” to Nicholas Fouquet, Louis XIV’s Minister of Finances, who he meets thanks to his uncle Jannart and his friend Pellison.

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Fouquet, who was already the protector of Perrault, Corneille and Moliere, welcomes him in his castle “Vaux le Vicomte” and grants him a pension. While his stay there la Fontaine writes “Songe the Vaux”, which he dedicates to Fouquet, as well as a set of thirty poems which he had been hired to do.

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He makes friends with the young Racine, who is debuting in Paris.

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Fouquet is arrested. La Fontaine remains without protection and is not able to cover his basic needs. However, he continues to be one of his main supporters.

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He publishes “l'Elégie aux nymphes de Vaux”, in order to obtain mercy from the king on behalf of his friend, but this stance of supporting the former minister led to his exile in Limoges with his uncle Jannart.

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He starts working in Luxemburg Palace as a “gentilhomme” (gentleman), serving in the Duchesse of Orleans’ house. Jean separates from his wife and leaves her the burden of raising their only child by herself. La Fontaine frequents many halls like that of the Duchesse of Bouillon, one of Mazarin’s nieces, and that of “Hotel de Nevers”. He meets Mesdames de Sevigne and de la Fallete, as well as la Rochefoulcauld.He publishes his first two tales:”Joconde” and “Le Cocu Battu et Content” (the beaten and happy cuckold).

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La Fontaine publishes the first part of “Contes et Nouvelles en Vers” (tales and novels in verse); the sequel will be published in 1666. He makes friends with Boileau, Moliere and Racine.

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Publishing of the first selection of 180 fables grouped in four books and dedicated to Dauphin: a great success.

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La Fontaine sells those titles inherited from his father and some more that he himself had bought from the Duke of Bouillon, who had became Lord of “Château-Thierry”. He publishes the third part of “Contes et Nouvelles en Vers”, as well as eight unpublished fables.

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The Duchess of Orleans dies and Jean faces financial difficulties again. He publishes two new fables.

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Turned into Madame de la Sablere’s host, la Fontaine meets up with old friends, like Charles Perrault, and makes new friends, like Antoine Menjot, a doctor in medicine.

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This is a hard year for his work. He writes an Opera book for Lully but he gets annoyed with the composer and they ban the sale of his new tales.

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Publishing of his Second Selection of Fables, dedicated to Madame de Montespan.

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La Fontaine is chosen to become a part of the French Academy, replacing Colbert. He would be admitted on the 2nd May 1684, forced by Louis XIV to attend the election of Boileau, his historiographer.

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Differences between people supporting the old views and those supporting the modern views wreak havoc in the Academy. La Fontaine would support the first through his “Epitre” (epistle), without turning his back on the last ones.

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Publishing of “Compagnons d’Ulysee” (Ulysses’ companions).

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Publishing of “Deux Chèvres” y de “Thésauriseur et le Singe”

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La Fontaine falls very ill.

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La Fontaine receives the extreme unction. He confesses his sins in public, in front of a delegation from the Academy and apparently he renounced his tales and promised he would write no more of them. He finally recovers and moves away to the home of his friend d’Hervart, an advisor of the Parliament of Paris, son of a powerful businessman who had been financial general inspector during Mazarin’s term of office.

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Publishing of the last selection of fables which brings together all the fables which had been published separately from 1678, as well as a dozen of unpublished fables.

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Jean de la Fontaine dies aged 74.

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