GACHARD

gachard, louis prosper (1800-1885), belgian man of letters, was born in paris on the 12th of march 1800. he entered the administration of the royal archives in 1826, and was appointed director-general, a post which he held for fifty-five years. during this long period he reorganized the service, added to the records by copies taken in other european collections, travelled for purposes of study, and carried on a wide correspondence with other keepers of records, and with historical scholars. he also edited and published many valuable collections of state papers; a full list of his various publications was printed in the _annuaire de l'academie royale de belgique_ by ch. piot in 1888, pp. 220-236. it includes 246 entries. he was the author of several historical writings, of which the best known are _don carlos et philippe ii_ (1867), _etudes et notices historiques concernant l'histoire des pays-bas_ (1863), _histoire de la belgique au commencement du xviii^e siecle_ (1880), _histoire politique et diplomatique de p.p. rubens_ (1877), all published at brussels. his chief editorial works are the _actes des etats generaux des pays-bas 1576-1585_ (brussels, 1861-1866), _collection de documents inedits concernant l'histoire de la belgique_ (brussels, 1833-1835), and the _relations des ambassadeurs venitiens sur charles v et philippe ii_ (brussels, 1855). gachard died in brussels on the 24th of december 1885.