Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte, Baron Fouqu� (1777 - 1843) was a German writer of the romantic style. He was born at Brandenburg an der Havel, of a family of French Huguenot origin, as evidenced in his family name. His grandfather, Heinrich August de la Motte Fouqu�, had been one of Frederick the Great's generals and his father was a Prussian officer. Although not originally intended for a military career, Friedrich de la Motte Fouqu� ultimately gave up his university studies at Halle to join the army and he took part in the Rhine campaign of 1794. The rest of his life was devoted mainly to literary pursuits. He was introduced to August Wilhelm Schlegel, who deeply influenced him as a poet and who published Fouqu�'s first book, Dramatische Spiele von Pellegrin, in 1804.
