In Memoriam

Thierry Bianquis (1935-2014)

he French historian of early Islamic to the Middle East—to begin with, on a Syria and Fatimid Egypt, Thierry year’s scholarship at the Centre Religieux Bianquis, died on September 2, 2014 d’Études Arabes (CREA) in Bikfaya in the Tat the age of 79, leaving a permanent ache Lebanese mountains, from where he went in the hearts of those who knew him. to the Institut Français d’Études Arabes Born in Lebanon on August 3, 1935 (IFEAD) in Damascus as a resident (1968– of French parents, one of four sons and 1971), whence on to Cairo for four years two daughters, his formative years were (1971–1975) as a visiting scholar at the spent in the warmth of a civilization he Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale would forever be attached to. He earned (IFAO), before returning to Damascus and his doctorate in history at the University IFEAD as its director for the years 1975 to of Lyon (1953–1960) and his teaching 1981. license in 1963 after a two-year stint in The rest of his academic life was spent Algeria teaching at a military academy, at Université Lyon Lumière 2 where he and then in his early thirties he returned completed his thèse d’État (which has since

Photo: Thierry Bianquis at Fustat, Egypt, in 1973. (Photo courtesy of Anne-Marie Bianquis)

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 23 (2015): 160-163 In Memoriam: Thierry Bianquis

Thierry Bianquis in the 1970s. (Photo courtesy of Anne-Marie Bianquis) been replaced by the French Habilitation) characteristic immediately came into view: with Claude Cahen (1981–1984) and Thierry reached out to colleagues to ask began his university career, rising to the advice. A second characteristic followed: position of full professor in the History an invitation to the editors to come to and Civilization of the Muslim World in his country home where “je pourrais 1991. It is there that the Editorial Board of vous loger, vous abreuver, vous nourrir the second edition of the Encyclopaedia of et vous faire visiter des églises romanes.” Islam found him, when the French editor The editors needed little persuasion Gérard Lecomte died suddenly in April that Thierry would be a good fit; the 1997. As my professional relationship appointment was made per July 1, 1997 with Thierry began at this time and in and he took over at the start of the tenth this context, I will limit my remarks to volume, T–U. the years of his tenure as last editor of the Scholarly integrity and unfailing French edition of the EI. generosity were his hallmarks. Where The Editorial Board met urgently in the other editors edited more broadly, Berlin to decide on the succession to occasionally adding, often deleting, but Lecomte and a list of three names was trusting in the authorial choice made when agreed upon. Thierry was not on the list, the article was just an entry to be allocated, but he was recommended by the first to Thierry was precise and idealistic. Had be asked, who was staunch in his refusal. Thierry had his way, which he did not, Thierry’s location outside the academic each article would have been subjected to cauldron that was Paris was seen as an a process of stringent peer-review, editing, advantage and he was subsequently asked and rewriting, over a period of many, if he had any interest (the final decision many months. “Il faut adopter les doubles would be made after pro forma consultation équipes, une équipe écrivant la notice, with the Executive Committee). A defining une autre relisant la notice et complétant

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 23 (2015): 161 In Memoriam: Thierry Bianquis la bibliographie,” he wrote soon after It can truthfully be said that Thierry beginning. Wedded to the lofty ideals of a never learned all the ropes, never closed pure scholarship but ensnared in the big the gap and brought the English and business of corporate publishing, Thierry French editions back to simultaneous chafed under the contractual obligation publication, and never saw any of his to produce three fascicules per language ideas for improvement realized. Yet he edition per year, regardless of extenuating worked tirelessly, managing for a number circumstances. “It is only for the big of years two fulltime and taxing jobs; profits,” he said more than once. the one remaining after he retired from The EI was a machine, and a conveyor the university in September 2000 was belt of articles that needed to be edited, arguably the most arduous. Hoping that he translated, and proofread awaited him, might have more success influencing the propelled by the incessant pressure run-up to the third edition, he as tirelessly from the publisher. Struggling with advocated for a more internationally the encyclopedia ropes, which were in inclusive approach to ensure its quality—“il abundance and very tangled, Thierry faut avoir une commission puisée parmi worked his way through the undiminishing des savants d’au moins quinze pays qui mountain of work that for most choisirait les entrées et déciderait à qui les contributors and users played out behind confier, en même temps elle devrait choisir the scenes. A good three-quarters of the un autre chercheur, ou plus, d’une culture encyclopedia was submitted in English and différent pour relire l’entrée, la corriger et had to be translated for the French edition, la compléter.” A consummate scholar. which was in perpetual need of funds True to his word, Thierry and his wife for that very task. However proud of and Anne-Marie, a scholar of Syria in her own territorial about their edition the French right, opened their beautiful old home were—Lévi-Provençal famously declared in the French countryside for editorial in 1949 that no French scholar would write for the EI if a French second edition was not continued—there was precious “Earth, receive an honoured little money put forward to support it. In guest.” 2000 Thierry estimated that for the ten W. H. Auden fascicules of 112 pages that were left to be completed, he had approximately 3,360 typescript pages (feuillets) to translate, meetings—two of the three convened requiring approximately FF 240,000, or FF should perhaps be put in air quotes—and 150,000 more than the pledges made (and the editors and their spouses, along with not always kept), to pay for translating two teenage children, unabashedly took them. Thierry, and his predecessor, spent advantage. He did indeed know every countless bruising hours in their search Romanesque abbey and church in the for money to pay for the encyclopedia region and a van to charter everyone was articles to be translated into French, and easily rented. Sweet are the memories. more often than is widely known took the Thierry was in poor health during the translations upon themselves, unpaid. latter half of his encyclopedia tenure;

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 23 (2015): 162 In Memoriam: Thierry Bianquis thankfully the EI did not send him to a letters after the editors went their separate very early grave, however exasperating, ways are reminders of the fount of love complex, rote, and nigh unmanageable and affection that Thierry could call upon the enterprise was. He delighted in his and dispense with ease. He is very sorely academic work, in his marriage, in his missed. children, and in his grandchildren, and his — Peri Bearman

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 23 (2015): 163