Basset, René

basset, rené (1855-1924), French Arabist and specialist in Berber. He was born at Lunéville. He was dean of the Faculté des Lettres of Algiers and a corresponding member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. He died in Algeria. As editor, he published the works of his friend Father Charles Foucauld (Grammar, 1908, 1922; Dictionary, 1918-1921), and among other works, he wrote Les Documents arabes sur l'expédition de Charlemagne en Espagne (1904) and Recherches sur la religion des Berbères (1910). His principal work is his edition of the Coptic Synaxaire arabe-jacobite, PO 3, 13, 56, 78, 84, and 100, which appeared between 1905 and 1928.