The Collège was founded in 1564 by the Jesuits as the Collège de Clermont, in honour of Guillaume Duprat, Bishop of Clermont. From 1682 it took the name of Collège Louis-le-Grand. The sale of the collection of antiquities and the library is connected with the suppression of the Society of Jesus.
For the sale of the library see: http://reliures.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cdt9xjhh/ (en)