Birth of Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe was born in London and became an influential journalist, pamphleteer and novelist.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Daniel Defoe Biography and Timeline
Follow Daniel Defoe through 40 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Daniel Defoe, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
40Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1660–1731Years on this page
1660
1683
Begins Career as Merchant
Defoe entered commercial life, gaining experience of trade later reflected in his economic and fictional writing.
1685
Supports Monmouth Rebellion
Defoe participated in the unsuccessful Monmouth Rebellion, an experience that informed his later political outlook.
1688
Supports William of Orange
Defoe supported the change of monarchy in 1688 and later defended the legitimacy of William III in print.
1697
Essay Upon Projects Published
Defoe published An Essay upon Projects, proposing reforms to education, commerce and social welfare.
1700
The Pacificator Published
Defoe published The Pacificator, a satirical poem engaging in contemporary religious and political disputes.
1702
Shortest Way with Dissenters Published
Defoe anonymously published The Shortest Way with the Dissenters, satirizing religious intolerance through an extreme fictional proposal.
1703
Hymn to Pillory Published
Defoe wrote A Hymn to the Pillory in response to punishment imposed for his controversial pamphlet.
Pillory Sentence Carried Out
Defoe was exposed in the pillory after his prosecution over The Shortest Way with the Dissenters.
1704
Review Periodical Founded
Defoe launched The Review, a periodical through which he analyzed politics, commerce and international affairs.
1705
Continues Review Political Commentary
Defoe used The Review to write sustained commentary on the conflicts and debates of Queen Anne's reign.
1706
True Relation of Apparition Published
Defoe published A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs Veal, a widely discussed supernatural narrative.
1707
Defends Parliamentary Union in Print
Daniel Defoe published arguments supporting union and discussed Scottish political affairs. His advocacy emphasised trade, Protestant succession and the potential benefits of a united Parliament.
1708
Reports Scottish Public Affairs
Defoe continued reporting and arguing about government and public opinion in Scotland through political journalism.
1709
History of the Union Published
Defoe published The History of the Union of Great Britain, recounting the political negotiations behind the union.
1713
Review Publication Ends
Defoe brought The Review toward its end after nearly a decade of sustained journalism.
1715
Family Instructor Published
Defoe published The Family Instructor, using domestic dialogue to explore religious and moral instruction.
1718
Further Family Instructor Published
A continuation of The Family Instructor appeared, extending Defoe's use of fictional dialogue for ethical lessons.
1719
Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
Defoe published The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, continuing the fictional traveler's journeys after his island life.
Robinson Crusoe
Publication of "Robinson Crusoe"
1720
Captain Singleton Published
Defoe published Captain Singleton, an adventure narrative exploring piracy, travel and personal transformation.
Memoirs of a Cavalier Published
Defoe published Memoirs of a Cavalier, a historical fiction framed as a participant's account of seventeenth century warfare.
Serious Reflections of Crusoe Published
Defoe published Serious Reflections During the Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, extending the Crusoe narrative into moral essays.
1722
Colonel Jack Published
Defoe published Colonel Jack, tracing an orphan's progress through criminal life, travel and social ambition.
Journal of the Plague Year Published
Defoe published A Journal of the Plague Year, reconstructing the London epidemic through a fictional eyewitness narrative.
Moll Flanders Published
Defoe published Moll Flanders, a fictional autobiography exploring poverty, crime and survival in English society.
Religious Courtship Published
Defoe published Religious Courtship, a prose work examining marriage choices through religious and domestic arguments.
1724
General History of Pyrates Appears
A General History of the Pyrates appeared under the name Captain Charles Johnson and has been attributed to Defoe, although authorship is disputed.
History of John Sheppard Published
Defoe published an account of the criminal John Sheppard, contributing to the popular literature of crime.
Roxana Novel Published
Defoe published Roxana, a novel investigating wealth, reputation and the precarious position of women.
Tour Through Great Britain Begins
Defoe began publishing A Tour Thro the Whole Island of Great Britain, a detailed survey of towns and commerce.
1725
Complete English Tradesman First Volume
Defoe published The Complete English Tradesman, offering advice on commercial practice and business conduct.
1726
Complete English Tradesman Second Volume
Defoe issued a further volume of The Complete English Tradesman, expanding his practical treatment of commercial life.
Political History of Devil Published
Defoe published The Political History of the Devil, combining religious speculation with satirical commentary.
Tour Through Great Britain Continues
Further installments of Defoe's Tour presented observations on the economy, geography and settlements of Britain.
1727
Conjugal Lewdness Published
Defoe published Conjugal Lewdness, examining the moral and social dimensions of marriage.
Essay on Apparitions Published
Defoe published An Essay on the History and Reality of Apparitions, discussing accounts of supernatural phenomena.
New Family Instructor Published
Defoe published A New Family Instructor, continuing his distinctive approach to moral teaching through domestic narrative.
1728
Plan of English Commerce Published
Defoe published A Plan of the English Commerce, presenting arguments about British trade and manufacturing.
1731
Death of Daniel Defoe
Defoe died in London, leaving an extensive output of novels, pamphlets and journalism.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.