Secrets d'histoire - Voltaire ou la liberté de penser

Stéphane Bern takes you on a journey to meet one of the greatest French philosophers and men of letters: Voltaire. Born François-Marie Arouet, he achieved fame at the age of 24 with his play Oedipus. A poet, historian, and philosopher, he is the intellectual who best embodies the Age of Enlightenment. He made the fight against superstition and the abuses of the Church his life's work. He did not hesitate to take up the cause of Jean Calas, the Protestant from Toulouse unjustly condemned to death, whose name and honor Voltaire managed to rehabilitate. He was also a brilliant satirist. His irony and ferocity towards those in power even earned him a few stays in the Bastille. A passionate lover, he shared a deep amorous and intellectual connection with the most brilliant woman of the 18th century, the Marquise Émilie du Châtelet. He maintained ambiguous relationships with the sovereigns of Europe, alternately criticizing and flattering them. Louis XV distrusted him. His relationship with Frederick II, the King of Prussia nicknamed the Philosopher King, was short-lived. Voltaire was free and intended to remain so. He eventually settled on the Franco-Swiss border in the small village of Ferney, renamed Ferney-Voltaire in his honor, which he transformed into a thriving economic center. It was in Ferney that he became a star, attracting the attention of the entire aristocracy and the enlightened bourgeoisie. This incredible journey culminates in a triumphant return to Paris at the age of 83... 📱Find Secrets of History: thousands of videos on our platform: https://www.secretsdhistoire.tv/ in our shop: https://laboutiquesecretsdhistoire.tv/ on Facebook:   / secretsdhistoire   on X:   / secretshistoire   on Instagram:   / secretsdhistoire