Thomas Hobbes died on 4 December 1679 in Hardwick Hall, aged 91. An English philosopher, Hobbes was born in Malmesbury and studied at Oxford. He served as a tutor to the aristocratic Cavendish family and translated Thucydides, then spent years in France during the English Civil War. His masterpiece Leviathan, published in 1651, argues that without a strong government human life would be a war of all against all, and that people therefore agree, by a social contract, to give their obedience to a sovereign in exchange for security. It became one of the most influential works of political philosophy in the West. He was also a materialist who wrote on geometry, optics and religion, and he lived to the age of 91.
Before and after
- 9 October 1676Leeuwenhoek discovers microorganisms
- 21 February 1677Death of Benedictus de Spinoza
- 4 March 1678Birth of Antonio Vivaldi
- from August 1678 to December 1678Kediri Campaign
- 4 December 1679Death of Thomas Hobbes
- 15 May 1681Construction of Canal du Midi
- 1682Founding of Philadelphia
- from 1683 to 1699Great Turkish War
- from 7 October 1683 to 9 October 1683Battle of Párkány
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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.