French Jesuit historian whose writings include an outstanding history of France.

Daniel entered the Society of Jesus in 1667, later became librarian of the professed house at Paris, and was appointed historiographer of France by King Louis XIV. In this last capacity he wrote a pioneering work, Histoire de France depuis l'établissement de la monarchie française (1st complete ed., 1713; ed. by P. Griffet, 1755–60; The history of France from the time the French monarchy was establish'd, 1732). He also wrote Histoire de la milice française, 2 vol. (1721; “History of the French Militia”), and works opposing the ideas of Pascal (Entretiens de Cléandre et d'Eudoxe sur les lettres provinciales, 1694) and of Descartes (Voiage du monde de Descartes, 1691; A Voyage to the World of Cartesius, 1694).