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Birth of Voltaire
This is the date of is birth. -
Wrote first theatrical success in prison
He got in trouble with the authorities. He was imprisoned in the Bastille for eleven months for writing a satire of the French government. During his time in prison he wrote “Oedipe” which was his first theatrical success, and also adopted his pen name “Voltaire.” -
Voltaire was exiled and moved to England
In 1726, Voltaire insulted the powerful nobleman, “Chevalier De Rohan,” and was given two options: imprisonment or exile. He chose exile and from 1726 to 1729 he lived in England. -
Voltaire returns to France and is kicked out again
When he returned to Paris he wrote a book praising English customs and institutions. It was taken as criticism of the French government, and was forced to leave Paris again. -
Voltaire falls in love with his neice
On a visit to Paris that year, he found a new love: his niece. At first, his attraction to Marie Louise Mignot was sexual, as evidenced by his letters to her (only discovered in 1937). -
Voltaire was voted into the “Academie Francaise.”
He studied with an intellegent woman friend and was voted in after a few years. -
Voltaire moved to Germany
After the death of “Marquise du Chatelet” he moved to Potsdam. -
Voltaire moved back to France
Voltaire left Potsdam to return to France. -
Voltaire bought an estate
Voltaire purchased an estate called “Ferney” near the French-Swiss border where he lived until just before of his death -
Death of Voltaire
He died on this day. -
Voltaire's remains are moved to final resting place
His remains were moved to a resting place at the Pantheon in Paris.
