Voltaire's Role in Historiography

Although Voltaire's utility as a historian has been both praised and maligned, a study of this literary genius is indispensable for the student of world history. Voltaire was one of the most prolific writers of the eighteenth century. He played an important role in elevating the study of the history of society to the same level as that of the natural sciences. Voltaire is often referred to as the father of historiography.

Voltaire's eventful life has been termed his greatest masterpiece. He was not only a man of words, he was a man of action as well. As Richter and Ricardo (1980) put it, "Eventually his life [became] more than just the story of one man's search for truth and happiness: it is the story of an entire age's search for enlightenment" (p. 21).

Born Francois Marie Arouet in 1694, Voltaire became one of France's most famous writers and, in his latter years, was considered an intellectual ruler of Europe. Although his father wished him to pursue a legal career, Voltaire ended his formal studies at the age of 16 and employed his literary gifts to secure his place in Parisian society: "As a mere adolescent he charmed prominent French nobles with his irreverent verses and lively wit, and high society eagerly opened its doors to him" (Richter and Ricardo, 1980, p. 19).

Voltaire's penchant for satirical verses aimed at the French government eventually led to his imprisonment in the Bastille for almost a year. His sentence failed to stem the tide of his lit

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undant literary output was motivated by greed, others contend that Voltaire's works were characterized by a desire to correct the wrongs he saw in the world. Voltaire conceived of history as an instructor, for both the monarchy and the masses: "In Voltaire's opinion, there was no mentor to be compared with the unbiased written record; for, in history, men, however exalted, receive their deserts: the evil they do lives after them, the good is not interred with their bones" (Black, 1965, p. 32). For instance, in writing Charles XII, Voltaire sought to demonstrate to monarchs the futility of conquest. Voltaire continued to spend his later years either in exile or in fear of pursuit by the French authorities. After settling briefly in Berlin, he chose a convenient location close to the Swiss border, to facilitate future flight from France. Although Voltaire was lionized during his final visit to Paris shortly before his death, controversy surrounded even the disposal of his body. The Roman Catholic Church refused to allow him to be buried on church grounds due to the religious skepticism expounded in his writings. Supporters were forced to smuggle his remains from the city: "Even later his physical remains were to be either

Category: History - V