What historical influences helped shape the form and content of the story the Hunchback of Notre Dame?

The late Middle Ages, during the reign of Louis XI, and the construction of the cathedral provides the backdrop for the content of the story. Hugo ws inspired to write the story because of his love for Gothic art, architecture, and studies in medieval Christianity. Hugo wished to bring back the glory of Notre Dame, which had been damaged during the French Revolution.... damage that was ignored and left unrepaired. In writing the novel, Hugo successfully reinstated the cathedral as a symbol of both Christianity and the history of France.