Voltaire was a fiery critic of the Roman Catholic Church, superstition, and the French government's strict censorship policies. His sharp satire often landed him in trouble, resulting in:
Here is a look at the life and legacy of this iconic thinker. arouet
Born into a wealthy bourgeois family in Paris, Arouet received a solid education from Jesuits, but quickly rejected his father's legal career path. Around 1718, he adopted the pen name "Voltaire." This change likely served a dual purpose: to distinguish himself from his background and to secure a reputation for himself outside the constraints of his original family name. Voltaire was a fiery critic of the Roman