Who Was Alive

Were Miguel de Cervantes and René Descartes alive at the same time?

Yes. Miguel de Cervantes and René Descartes were alive at the same time for 20 years, from 1596 to 1616.

René Descartes was 20 when Miguel de Cervantes died.

Miguel de Cervantes

Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright

Born c. 1547 · died 22 April 1616

René Descartes

French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist

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

  1. Michelangelo
  2. Miguel de Cervantes
  3. Galileo Galilei
  4. William Shakespeare
  5. René Descartes
  6. Rembrandt
  7. Molière
  8. Isaac Newton
Miguel de Cervantes 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.