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Back to article: PIERRE FRANCOIS XAVIER DE RAM (18o4-1865)

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RAM, PIERRE FRANCOIS XAVIER DE (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).