In August 1837, Viscount Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué approached the minister of Public Education of the time, M. Salvandy, and offered to publish a collection of popular songs of Armorican Brittany in order to contribute to a better knowledge of French history. The request, which was duly passed on to the Committee on Historical Works, 1 received a negative response in 1838. The following year, de la Villemarqué decided to publish the Barzaz-Breiz (Te Popular Ballads of Brittany) at his own expense. He was only 24 years old at the time.