Etienne Dolet

Born in Orléans in 1509

In his youth, Dolet was secretary to the French ambassador in Venice; afterwards he studied law in Toulouse, where he quarrelled with Parliament and was sacked from his post in 1534. He set up as a printer in Lyon and drew more problems on himself with his satirical behaviour and the publication of works charged with heresy. He was finally imprisoned, hanged and burned for his profession of materialism, atheism and support for the ideas of Luther.