François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand (4 September 1768 – 4 July 1848) was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian who had a notable influence on French literature of the nineteenth century. Descended from an old aristocratic family from Brittany, Chateaubriand was a royalist by political disposition. In an age when large numbers of intellectuals turned against the Church, he authored the "Génie du christianisme" in defense of the Catholic faith. His works include the autobiography "Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe" (""Memoirs from Beyond the Grave""), published posthumously in 1849–1850.