Christiaan Huygens's Path to the Academie Royale des Sciences (1655-1666)

Huygens' arrival at the Academie royale des sciences in 1666 was made possible by the contacts he had made since his trip to Paris in 1655, marked by his knowledge of the many Parisian scientific circles. To the French scientists, Huygens not only made fundamental contributions in the fields of mathematics and physics, but he also stood out thanks to his interest in practical problems and his skill as an instrument builder. Colbert did not fail to notice the usefulness of his expertise when he began to realize his plans for the Academie royale. At the same time, Parisian circles allowed Huygens to abandon the religious conformism that dated back to his Calvinist upbringing, opening his eyes to the libertine horizon so evident in the Cosmotheoros.