Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe (1660 – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, businessman, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy who lived from c. 1660 to 24 April 1731. He is most known for his novel Robinson Crusoe, which was published in 1719 and is said to have received more translations than the Bible. He is regarded as one of the earliest proponents of the English novel, and along with others such as Aphra Behn and Samuel Richardson, he helped to popularize the genre in the United Kingdom. Defoe was a prolific political tract writer who was frequently in trouble with the authorities and served time in prison. His new ideas drew the attention of intellectuals and political leaders, who occasionally sought his advice. Defoe was a prolific and varied writer who published over 300 works —books, pamphlets, and journals—on a wide range of subjects, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, and the supernatural. He was also a forerunner in the fields of business and economic journalism.

Defoe is credited with 545 publications, including humorous poetry, political and religious tracts, and volumes. An Essay Upon Projects, a collection of ideas for social and economic betterment published in 1697, was Defoe's first major publication. He advocated King William III's right to a standing army during disarmament following the Treaty of Ryswick (1697) ended the Nine Years' War (1688–1697) from 1697 to 1698. While surrounded by a guard of sixteen gentlemen of the Legion, Defoe handed the Legion's Memorial to Robert Harley, then Speaker of the House of Commons—and his later employer—in 1701.

The True-Born Englishman (1701), his most popular poem, defended William against xenophobic accusations from his political opponents in England, as well as English anti-immigration views in general. The poem quickly became a bestseller in England.