PIERRE

See also:

• FRANCOIS (1558-1614)

FRANCOIS

See also:

• XAVIER, FRANCISCO DE (1506-1552)

XAVIER DE

See also:

• RAM
• PIERRE FRANCOIS XAVIER DE RAM (18o4-1865)

RAM (18o4-1865)  , Belgian churchman and historian, was born at Louvain in1804 . He took orders early, and was appointed professor of poetry at the seminary of Malines, and archiviste of the diocese . During the years immediately before the revolution of 1830, Ram, who was much influenced by Lamennais, was active in bringing about a coalition of Liberals and Catholics against the Dutch government established by the Powers on the fall of Napoleon, and in endeavouring to give a democratic character to the policy of his church . He declined to stand as a member of the Belgian assembly, and applied himself wholly to teaching and to editing or composing historical books . As professor of philosophy at Malines he succeeded in bringing about the foundation of the Catholic university, which was transferred to Louvain in 1834 . He was rector of the university till his death in 1865 . The best known of his publications is the Documents relatifs aux troubles du pays de Liege '455—15o_5, published by the Commission royale de l'Histoire de Belgique (Brussels, 1844) . A Notice sur la vie et les travaux de Mgr P . F . X. de Ram, by J . J . Thonissen, will be found in the Annuaire de l'Academie royale de Belgique (Brussels, 1866) .