Voltaire

Voltaire, born François-Marie Arouet, was a central writer of the French Enlightenment whose work ranged across philosophy, history, drama, poetry, and polemic. His histories and essays—including *Histoire de Charles XII* and *Lettres philosophiques*—helped popularize comparative cultural and political criticism. Through works such as *Candide*, he used satire to challenge intolerance, dogmatism, and overly confident philosophical systems.