Ernest Lavisse (1842-1922) was a French historian, a member of the French Academy, and a prominent figure in education in France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He specialized in the history of Prussia and Germany. He was a professor at the Sorbonne and director of the École Normale Supérieure. He directed the monumental "Histoire de France depuis les origines jusqu'à la Révolution," a reference work. His work significantly influenced French historiography and the teaching of history.