Edgar Quinet

Edgar Quinet (1803-1875) was a French writer, historian, and politician, known for his influence on democratic movements in France and his support for Romania. He was a professor at the Collège de France and had a significant impact on the Romanian "pașoptiști" (the 1848 revolutionary figures), many of whom were his students. Married to Hermione Asachi, the daughter of writer Gheorghe Asachi, Quinet advocated for republican ideals and supported the unification and independence of Romania. Exiled due to his opposition to Napoleon III's regime, Quinet continued to write from Belgium and Switzerland, becoming a symbolic figure in the struggle for freedom and democracy.