Abstract

Voltaire's name has long been associated with that era which has come to be called the Enlightenment. For many, the two are inexorably linked. But Voltaire's contributions to the thought of that era are much less understood. People may think of Voltaire's literary achievements, or the political causes he undertook, or even of his well-known skeptical wit, but he is rarely identified as a thinker who made penetrating and original contributions to political philosophy during his lifetime. Yet, when his most serious endeavors are considered, it is clear that he justly deserves such a reputation. The trouble with studying Voltaire has always come in identifying his most serious endeavors. He wrote so much and across so many genres that it is a difficult and perplexing task to place one's finger precisely on the works appropriate for undertaking such a study. ;One particular group of writings that bear consideration are Voltaire's political histories. These works are unique for several reasons: they are recognized even today as excellent examples of historical research; they are so few in number, and, more importantly, Voltaire himself devoted nearly the entirety of his career to perfecting his portraits of just two, central individuals--Charles XII of Sweden, and Peter the Great of Russia. The story of these two sovereigns, contemporaries and actual enemies on the battlefield, embody Voltaire's radical political philosophy. In revealing to us their characters, their motivations, and their fates, Voltaire succeeds in a daring new enterprise--the crossbreeding of political history and political philosophy