Voltaire was born on 21 November 1694 in Paris. A French writer, historian and philosopher of the Enlightenment, Voltaire, whose real name was François-Marie Arouet, wrote plays, poems, histories and the satirical novella Candide in 1759. He was imprisoned in the Bastille and spent years in exile in England, where he admired the freedom of thought, and later at Ferney near the Swiss border. He championed religious tolerance, freedom of speech and justice, notably in the Calas affair, in which he defended a Protestant who had been wrongly executed. He also had a long relationship with the scientist Émilie du Châtelet. His wit made him one of the most influential figures of his time.
Before and after
- 13 February 1692Massacre of Glencoe
- 28 January 1693Birth of Anna I of Russia
- 29 March 1693Founding of Curitiba
- 27 July 1694Founding of Bank of England
- 21 November 1694Birth of Voltaire
- 28 November 1694Death of Matsuo Bashō
- from 13 August 1695 to 15 August 1695Bombardment of Brussels
- 11 July 1696Founding of Academy of Arts, Berlin
- 10 November 1697Birth of William Hogarth
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The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 17th century.