0% found this document useful (0 votes)
108 views

Perre de Coubertin Life

Pierre de Coubertin was born in 1863 into a French aristocratic family. He was educated by Jesuits and excelled in his studies. As an adult, he became interested in physical education and sports. In 1894, he established the International Olympic Committee and helped revive the Olympic Games, the first of which were held in Athens in 1896. Coubertin served as president of the IOC for over 20 years and worked to grow the Olympics. He is regarded as the founder of the modern Olympic movement.

Uploaded by

lipdan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
108 views

Perre de Coubertin Life

Pierre de Coubertin was born in 1863 into a French aristocratic family. He was educated by Jesuits and excelled in his studies. As an adult, he became interested in physical education and sports. In 1894, he established the International Olympic Committee and helped revive the Olympic Games, the first of which were held in Athens in 1896. Coubertin served as president of the IOC for over 20 years and worked to grow the Olympics. He is regarded as the founder of the modern Olympic movement.

Uploaded by

lipdan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Pierre de Frdy was born in Paris on 1 January 1863 into an established aristocratic family.

He was the fourth child of Baron Charles ouis Frdy! Baron de Coubertin and "arie#"arcelle $i%ault de Crisenoy. Family tradition held that the Frdy name had first arri&ed in France in the early 1'th century! and the first recorded title of nobility %ranted to the family was %i&en by ouis () to an ancestor! also named Pierre de Frdy! in 1*++. But other branches of his family tree del&ed e&en further into French history! and the annals of both sides of his family included nobles of &arious stations! military leaders! and associates of ,in%s and -rinces of France. Pierre de Coubertin! the son of an artist! was a talented s-ortsman! he too, -art in bo.in%! fencin%! horseridin% and rowin%.

Pierre de Coubertin as a child (right), with one of his sisters, painted by his father Charles Louis de Fredy de Coubertin (detail of Le Dpart, 18 !)"

His father Charles was a staunch royalist and accom-lished artist whose -aintin%s were dis-layed and %i&en -ri/es at the Parisian salon! at least in those years when he was not absent in -rotest of the rise to -ower of ouis 0a-oleon. His -aintin%s often centred around themes related to the 1oman Catholic Church! classicism! and nobility! which reflected those thin%s he thou%ht most im-ortant. )n a later semi2fictional autobio%ra-hical -iece called Le Roman d'un ralli! Coubertin describes his relationshi- with both his mother and his father as ha&in% been somewhat strained durin% his childhood and adolescence. His memoirs elaborated further! describin% as a -i&otal moment his disa--ointment u-on meetin% Henri! Count of Chambord! whom the elder Coubertin belie&ed to be the ri%htful ,in%. Coubertin %rew u- in a time of -rofound chan%e in France3 France4s defeat in the Franco2 Prussian 5ar! the Paris Commune! and the establishment of the French 6hird 1e-ublic! and later the 7reyfus 8ffair. But while these e&ents were the settin% of his childhood! his school e.-eriences were 9ust as formati&e. )n :ctober 18+*! his -arents enrolled him in a new Jesuit school called Externat de la rue de Vienne! which was still under construction for his first fi&e years there. 5hile many of the school4s attendees were day students! Coubertin boarded at the school under the su-er&ision of a Jesuit -riest! which his -arents ho-ed would instill him with a stron% moral and reli%ious education. 6here! he was amon% the to- three students in his class! and was an officer of the school4s elite academy made u- of its best and bri%htest. 6his su%%ests that des-ite his rebelliousness at home! Coubertin ada-ted well to the strict ri%ors of a Jesuit education. 8s an aristocrat! Coubertin had a number of career -aths from which to choose! includin% -otentially -rominent roles in the military or -olitics. But he chose instead to -ursue a career as an intellectual! studyin% and later writin% on a broad ran%e of to-ics! includin% education! history! literature! and sociolo%y. Coubertin was an educationalist who attem-ted to reform the French education system. He was interested in s-orts education as he belie&ed it had the -otential to de&elo- what he called ;moral ener%y; and e&entually became <ecretary $eneral of the =nion of French <ocieties of 8thletic <-orts >=<F<8?.

Coubertin announced that he intended to re&i&e the :lym-ic $ames and on @3rd June! 18A*! established the )nternational :lym-ic Committee >):C? at a meetin% held at the =ni&ersity of <orbonne in Paris. 6he first :lym-ic $ames of the modern era were held in 8thens in 18A6. Coubertin became -resident of the )nternational :lym-ic Committee! a -ost he held for @A years. 7urin% the First 5orld 5ar Coubertin mo&ed the headBuarters of the ):C to ausanne! <wit/erland. Pierre de Coubertin! who -ublished his autobio%ra-hy! Olympic Memoirs! in 1A31! died of a heart attac, in $ene&a on @nd <e-tember! 1A3+. 6he founder of the modern :lym-ics was an unli,ely s-orts hero! a French aristocrat who thou%ht -hysical education could ha&e sa&ed his country from military humiliation in the late 18CCs. 8nd the lonely cam-ai%n wa%ed by Pierre Fredy! Baron de Coubertin! slowly %ained su--ort amon% ad&ocates of athletics in Duro-e and 8merica! and Coubertin was able to or%ani/e the first modern :lym-ics in 8thens in 18A6.

You might also like