Voltaire

François-Marie Arouet, known by his pen name Voltaire, was born in Paris on 21 November 1694 and died there on 30 May 1778 [6][7]. A central figure of the French Enlightenment, he worked as a writer, philosopher, satirist, and historian [2]. He was celebrated for his sharp wit and his outspoken criticism of the Catholic Church, slavery, and religious intolerance, and he consistently advocated for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the separation of church and state [2].

Voltaire was exceptionally prolific, producing works across nearly every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and scientific expositions [1]. Over the course of his career he composed more than 2,000 books and pamphlets and an estimated 20,000 letters [1]. He became one of the first authors to achieve widespread international renown and commercial success [1]. His writings frequently placed him at odds with the strict censorship enforced by the Catholic French monarchy, as his polemics witheringly targeted intolerance, religious dogma, and the prevailing French institutions of his era [1].

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