Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (French pronunciation: ​[ʃaʁl lwi də səɡɔ̃da baʁɔ̃ də la bʁɛd e də mɔ̃tɛskjø]; 18 January 1689 – 10 February 1755), generally referred to as simply Montesquieu (US: /ˈmɒntəskjuː/,[5] UK also /ˌmɒntɛˈskjɜː/,[6] French: [mɔ̃tɛskjø]), was a French judge, man of letters, historian, and political philosopher.