- Born
- Died
- Born the eldest son and third child of James and Mary Defoe, Defoe received a very good education, as his father intended him to become a Presbyterian minister, but he chose to become a merchant instead. In 1684 he joined the army of the rebel Duke of Monmouth, but when the rebellion failed, Defoe was forced into semi-exile. He went bankrupt in 1692, and began writing professionally. He wrote a satirical pamphlet in 1703 called "The Shortest Way with the Dissenters", for which he was pilloried. After a stint in Newgate prison and more troubles with his bankruptcy, Defoe wrote "Robinson Crusoe" and "Moll Flanders", both of which were great successes. Labeled a social historian for his interest in colonization, economics, and exploration, Defoe died of a lethargy in Cripplegate on 24 April 1731.- IMDb mini biography by: Nichol
- SpouseMary Tuffley(January 1, 1684 - April 24, 1731) (his death, 8 children)
- Wrote his poem, "Hymn to the Pillory," while in jail.
- Based his character, Robinson Crusoe, on a real sailor named Alexander Selkirk.
- Judged guilty of "seditious libel" in 1703, he was imprisoned in Newgate Prison.
- A house where he once lived was destroyed by arsonists in 2009.
- All men would be tyrants if they could.
- [on flattery] When flatterers meet, the devil goes to dinner.
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