Francois-Marie Arouet, born 21 November 1694 and died 30 May 1778, known by his pen name Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher, satirist and historian, famous for his wit and his criticism of Christianity, especially of the Catholic Church, and of slavery, and an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and separation of church and state. A versatile and prolific writer producing plays, poems, novels, essays, histories and scientific expositions, he wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets and was one of the first authors to become renowned and commercially successful internationally, an outspoken advocate of civil liberties at constant risk from the strict censorship laws of the Catholic French monarchy. His best known work, Candide, is a novella that comments on, criticizes and ridicules many events, thinkers and philosophies of his time, most notably Gottfried Leibniz and his belief that this world is of necessity the best of all possible worlds.
Facts
Birth YearSourced to the subject's own account Defining MomentSourced to the subject's own accountImprisoned in the Bastille and exiled to England from 1726 to 1729, an experience that shaped his advocacy of English constitutional liberty, free speech and religious tolerance. 1 Birth DateSourced to the subject's own account Notable PublicationSourced to the subject's own account Office HeldSourced to the subject's own accountChamberlain to Frederick the Great of Prussia 1 Death YearSourced to the subject's own account Death DateSourced to the subject's own account BirthplaceSourced to the subject's own account Death PlaceSourced to the subject's own account TraditionSourced to the subject's own account Classification
NationalitySourced to the subject's own account Connections
Associated With
Source Nicolas de Condorcet (Wikipedia)
Critiqued Here
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: France, originated there.
Sources
1. Voltaire (Wikipedia)
Wikipedialead paragraph 1
21 November 1694-30 May 1778), known by his pen name Voltaire
final years section
He soon became ill again and died on 30 May 1778.
Prussia section
The Prussian king (with the permission of Louis XV) made him a chamberlain in his household, appointed him to the Order of Merit
Exile in England section
Voltaire's exile in England greatly influenced his thinking. He was intrigued by Britain's constitutional monarchy in contrast to French absolutism and by the country's greater freedom of speech and religion.
lead paragraph 2
His best-known work and magnum opus, Candide, is a novella that comments on, criticizes, and ridicules many events, thinkers and philosophies of his time
lead paragraph 1, birth-death clause
21 November 1694-30 May 1778), known by his pen name Voltaire
lead paragraph 1, Enlightenment clause
was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher (philosophe), satirist, and historian.
Early life and education section
François-Marie Arouet was born in Paris, the youngest of the five children of François Arouet, a lawyer who was a minor treasury official, and his wife, Marie Marguerite Daumard, whose family was on the lowest rank of the French nobility.
View the Source Baron d'Holbach (Wikipedia)
WikipediaInfluenced By: Baron d'Holbach, Anti-religious works sectionQuote, Influenced By: Baron d'Holbach, Anti-religious works section
The deistic Voltaire, denying authorship of the work, made known his aversion to d'Holbach's philosophy, writing that '[the work] is entirely opposed to my principles. This book leads to an atheistic philosophy that I detest.'
Nicolas de Condorcet (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAssociated With: Nicolas de Condorcet, Early years sectionQuote, Associated With: Nicolas de Condorcet, Early years section
D'Alembert also introduced Condorcet to Voltaire at Ferney in 1770.
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