Born into a wealthy and noble family, Montaigne’s father Pierre Eyquem had served as a soldier in Italy and subsequently intended to import Italian humanist culture to France. As a result, Montaigne was solely brought up in Latin and did not learn French before the age of six when he was sent to the highly prestigious Collége de Guyenne in Bordeaux. At thirteen he left the school in order to study law, presumably in Toulouse. After working in the courts of Périgueux, Montaigne became a counselor of the parliament in Bordeaux in 1557. During this time he developed a close friendship with the humanist writer and scholar Etienne de La Boëtie. Later, from 1561 until 1563, Montaigne served as courtier at the court of Charles IX.