Joachim Du Bellay

Du Bellay, one of the most personal if not the greatest poets of the sixteenth century, was born, like his friend and colleague Ronsard, into the provincial nobility and in the Loire valley. His ancient family’s ancestral home lay in the region of Anjou, and its younger branch, which excluded Joachim, gained great prestige under Francis I: Guillaume du Bellay was for some years governor of Piedmont during the French occupation, while his brother, Jean du Bellay, was made bishop of Paris and cardinal of the church of Rome.

Joachim’s own father, also named Jean, was considerably less distinguished, and died early in his son’s life, leaving him to the care of his elder brother René. Some comments by the poet