French historiography witnessed a real revolution in the 19th century, a time in which history in France was liberated from philosophy and theology, became academically independent and built a distinct place for itself within the wider domain of the humanities, in universities and in scholarly journals. During that period in France, academic history was professionalized and acquired its own methods and styles as French historians adopted history as a tool to influence the present, and used history writing to direct and frame contemporaneous social movements. Jules Michelet is one of the historians who put his mark on French historiography during that period. This study aims to rectify the inadequacy in the quality and quantity of Arabic knowledge on this important historian. It does so by looking at the pioneering role played by Michelet in French historiography, his concept of history, and aspects of renewal in his historical oeuvre and his usage of history. It also offers a discussion of the reactions to his work as a “problematic” historian whose work has received mixed reviews from French historians.