Philosophers of the Age of Exploration
The atlas holds 17 people and 318 moments here, from 1466 to 1650. The most recorded lives are René Descartes, Galileo Galilei and Niccolò Machiavelli.
Notable people
René Descartes
from 1596 to 1650
45 moments here
French philosopher, mathematician, and natural philosopher whose methodic doubt, mind-body distinction, analytic techniques, and mechanical account…
Galileo Galilei
from 1564 to 1642
35 moments here
Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, mathematician, and natural philosopher. Born in Pisa, Galileo was educated in Tuscany, taught mathematics at…
Niccolò Machiavelli
from 1469 to 1527
32 moments here
Florentine diplomat, civil servant, political theorist, playwright, and historian of the Italian Renaissance.…
Giordano Bruno
from 1548 to 1600
31 moments here
Italian Renaissance philosopher, Dominican friar, writer, and cosmological theorist. Born at Nola, Bruno studied and lived in Italy, Switzerland,…
Michel de Montaigne
from 1533 to 1592
31 moments here
French Renaissance writer, magistrate, diplomat, and two-term mayor of Bordeaux, best known for the Essais.…
Martin Luther
from 1483 to 1546
29 moments here
German Augustinian friar, priest, theologian, professor, translator, and leading figure of the Protestant Reformation.…
Desiderius Erasmus
from 1466 to 1536
27 moments here
Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, theologian, editor, and author. Erasmus was born in the Burgundian Netherlands, educated in the Low…
Thomas More
from 1478 to 1535
22 moments here
English lawyer, humanist author, royal councillor, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Lord Chancellor under…
Johannes Kepler
from 1571 to 1630
16 moments here
German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher, and music theorist. Kepler’s documented life moved from Württemberg schooling…
Nicolaus Copernicus
from 1473 to 1543
15 moments here
Renaissance astronomer, canon, physician, administrator, and economist whose heliocentric model placed the Sun rather than Earth at the center of the…
Francis Bacon
from 1561 to 1626
13 moments here
English philosopher, lawyer, statesman, Attorney General, and Lord Chancellor under James I.…
Blaise Pascal
from 1623 to 1648
9 moments here
French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic writer. Pascal spent his life principally between Clermont-Ferrand, Paris,…
Thomas Hobbes
from 1588 to 1647
7 moments here
English philosopher and political theorist, best known for Leviathan (1651). Hobbes’s documented movements include study at Oxford, European travel…
John Locke
from 1632 to 1647
3 moments here
English philosopher, physician, and political writer. Locke was born in Somerset, educated in London and Oxford, served Lord Shaftesbury in London,…
Isaac Newton
in 1643
1 moment here
English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian, alchemist, author, and public official.…
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
in 1646
1 moment here
German polymath, philosopher, mathematician, jurist, diplomat, court councillor, historian, and librarian.…
Baruch Spinoza
in 1632
1 moment here
Dutch philosopher Baruch (Benedictus) de Spinoza lived entirely in the Dutch Republic. His securely documented locations trace a life centered on…
Moments
- 1466 Birth in Rotterdam Desiderius Erasmus
- 1469 Birth in Florence Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1473 Birth in Toruń Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1476 Childhood move to Gouda Desiderius Erasmus
- 1478 Latin-school education in Deventer Desiderius Erasmus
- 1478 Birth in the City of London Thomas More
- 1483 Born in Eisleben Martin Luther
- 1484 Seminary schooling in 's-Hertogenbosch Desiderius Erasmus
- 1484 Family relocates to Mansfeld Martin Luther
- 1487 Novitiate at Stein Desiderius Erasmus
- 1488 Profession of vows at Stein Desiderius Erasmus
- 1491 Studies at the University of Kraków Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1492 Studies at Oxford Thomas More
- 1493 Departure from Stein for Brabant Desiderius Erasmus
- 1494 Legal training at New Inn Thomas More
- 1495 Theological study in Paris Desiderius Erasmus
- 1496 Arrival for studies in Bologna Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1496 Student at Lincoln's Inn Thomas More
- 1497 Attends school in Magdeburg Martin Luther
- 1497 Aldebaran occultation observation Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1498 Moves to Eisenach for school Martin Luther
- 1498 First diplomatic mission Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1499 First English visit at Oxford Desiderius Erasmus
- 1499 Mission to Caterina Sforza Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1500 Jubilee-year stay in Rome Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1500 First French mission Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1501 Writing at Saint-Bertin Abbey Desiderius Erasmus
- 1501 Medical studies in Padua Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1501 Pacification mission Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1501 Matriculates at Erfurt Martin Luther
- 1502 Move to Louvain Desiderius Erasmus
- 1502 Witness to Borgia's reprisals Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1503 Residence at Heilsberg Castle Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1503 Spiritual exercises at the London Charterhouse Thomas More
- 1503 Mission to Pandolfo Petrucci Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1503 Doctorate in canon law at Ferrara Nicolaus Copernicus
- 1503 Papal-conclave mission Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1504 Second French mission Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1504 Second mission to Siena Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1505 Second stay in England Desiderius Erasmus
- 1505 Residence at the Old Barge Thomas More
- 1505 Enters the Augustinian monastery Martin Luther
- 1506 Doctorate at Turin Desiderius Erasmus
- 1506 Tutoring residence in Bologna Desiderius Erasmus
- 1506 Militia recruitment Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1506 Papal campaign at Cesena Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1506 Papal campaign at Imola Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1506 Papal campaign at Orvieto Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1506 Papal campaign at Perugia Niccolò Machiavelli
- 1506 Papal campaign at Urbino Niccolò Machiavelli