Who Was Alive

Were James VI and I and René Descartes alive at the same time?

Yes. James VI and I and René Descartes were alive at the same time for 29 years, from 1596 to 1625.

James VI and I was 29 when René Descartes was born.

René Descartes was 29 when James VI and I died, aged 58.

James VI and I

King of Scotland from 1566 to 1625, King of England and Ireland from 1603 to 1625

Born 19 June 1566 · died 27 March 1625 (Julian calendar), aged 58

René Descartes

French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist

Born 31 March 1596 · died 11 February 1650, aged 53

  1. Miguel de Cervantes
  2. Galileo Galilei
  3. William Shakespeare
  4. James VI and I
  5. René Descartes
  6. Molière
  7. Isaac Newton
James VI and I and René Descartes in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.