01 Oct Early employment networks of Paul Rapin-Thoyras: Huguenot soldier and tutor (1685-1692)
Finding employment is an important step in the life of every refugee or immigrant. In order to obtain a suitable position, in addition to skills and knowledge they rely mostly (not exclusively) on their connections. Of course, networks differ from person to person, and each person connects to them according to his own disposition. Before becoming the renowned Huguenot historian of the early eighteenth century, Paul Rapin-Thoyras, (or Thoyras-Rapin as he calls himself in his letters), was a young refugee who needed to make his living in exile after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Rapin differs from the widely studied examples of upper class Huguenot migrants, because despite having a small network and lack of substantial connections outside France, he managed to obtain a respected position as tutor to the son of the Earl of Portland. Yet there is a gap in understanding his earlier career path and the means by which he achieved his position, which this study aims to fill. We wi…