François Marie Arouet de Voltaire was an influential French writer, philosopher, and historian of the Enlightenment period. He was known for his wit, satire, and advocacy for freedom of speech and religion. Voltaire's works often criticized the injustices and intolerance of his time, and he was a strong proponent of reason and tolerance. His most famous works include the satirical novel "Candide" and the philosophical "Letters Concerning the English Nation." Voltaire's ideas and writings had a significant impact on the development of modern Western thought and continue to be studied and admired today.