William Penn

Philip Gould (Brown University)

Ed. by Emory Elliott, University of California, Riverside
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

Born 14 Oct 1644
Died 30 Jul 1718
Activity 1667-1712

Places

Born in England
Active in England; United States; Germany; Netherlands

Activities

Primary

Colonialist
Pamphleteer
Politician
Religious writer
Revolutionary, Activist

Other

Story-writer

Resources

Penn's Works

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William Penn was born in London in 1644, the son of Margaret Jasper Vanderschuren (1610?-1682) and Admiral Sir William Penn (1621-1670) a wealthy sea captain and landowner, who was politically connected to Parliament during the English Civil Wars, and to the Stuart Monarchy thereafter. As a member of the landed gentry class, the young Penn enjoyed both material luxury and social privilege, spending some early years on his father's estates in Ireland before attending Christ Church College, Oxford. Much to his father's dismay, however, Penn rebelled against Anglican authorities there, particularly challenging the practice of wearing gowns, and was soon expelled. In 1662, he left for a tour of Europe, and attended for some time a Protestant academy in Saumur, France, where he studied under…

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1997 words

Citation: Gould, Philip. "William Penn". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 June 2002 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4986, accessed 24 November 2024.]