Voltaire

Born François-Marie Arouet in Paris in 1694, Voltaire became one of the most influential writers of the Enlightenment. He excelled in nearly every literary genre, including plays, poetry, history, and philosophical essays. His sharp satire often targeted the church, the monarchy, and intolerance, leading to imprisonment and exile. Among his major works are Letters on the English Nation, which praised English liberty, and the philosophical tale Candide (1759), a devastating critique of Leibnizian optimism. Voltaire also contributed to the Encyclopédie and championed legal reforms, notably in the Calas affair. His legacy endures as a champion of reason, free speech, and separation of church and state, influencing both the French Revolution and modern secular thought.