The Political History of the Devil is a philosophical and historical work in which Defoe explores the role of the Devil in the history of civilization. It may be said that his view on this topic is that of an 18th-century Presbyterian — he blames the Devil for the Crusades and sees him as close to Europe's Catholic powers. General scholarly opinion is that Defoe really did think of the Devil as a participant in world history. He spends some time discussing Milton's Paradise Lost and explaining why he considers it inaccurate. Daniel Defoe (1660–1731) was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy, most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is noted for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularize the form in Britain with others such as Samuel Richardson, and is among the founders of the English novel. He was a prolific and versatile writer, producing more than five hundred books, pamphlets, and journals on various topics, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, and the supernatural.
