December 12

Born into an aristocratic family, Bolingbroke entered Parliament as a Tory MP and quickly gained a reputation as a skilled orator and strategist. He served as Secretary at War from 1704 to 1708 and later as Secretary of State from 1710 to 1714. Bolingbroke championed peace negotiations to end the War of the Spanish Succession, helping secure the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. After Queen Anne’s death, he was impeached by the Whigs and exiled to France, where he mingled with Enlightenment philosophers. His philosophical essays on government and history influenced later political thinkers. Bolingbroke’s blend of political ambition and intellectual contributions left a lasting mark on British Enlightenment thought.

Born in Judenbach, Saxe-Meiningen, Gottsched studied philosophy at the University of Leipzig and emerged as a central figure in the German Enlightenment. He wrote influential works such as "Versuch einer Critischen Dichtkunst," outlining principles for dramatic composition and poetic style. Gottsched translated and introduced French and English literary works to German audiences, promoting cultural exchange. As a critic, he championed the use of the vernacular and the reform of theater, helping elevate Leipzig as a literary hub. Though later critics challenged his strict classicism, his efforts laid foundational standards for modern German literature and criticism.