William Penn

author

William Penn

1644–1718

Best known for founding Pennsylvania, this English Quaker turned faith into public action. His life joined religious conviction, political argument, and a lasting vision of liberty of conscience.

3 Audiobooks

A Sermon Preached at the Quaker's Meeting House, in Gracechurch-Street, London, Eighth Month 12th, 1694.

A Sermon Preached at the Quaker's Meeting House, in Gracechurch-Street, London, Eighth Month 12th, 1694.

by William Penn

A Brief Account of the Rise and Progress of the People Called Quakers

A Brief Account of the Rise and Progress of the People Called Quakers

by William Penn

No cross, no crown : a discourse shewing the nature and discipline of the holy cross of Christ

No cross, no crown : a discourse shewing the nature and discipline of the holy cross of Christ

by William Penn

About the author

Born in London in 1644, he was the son of Admiral Sir William Penn, but he chose a very different path from the one expected of him. After embracing the Quaker faith, he was repeatedly jailed and became one of its most energetic defenders, writing and speaking in favor of religious freedom and freedom of conscience.

He is most closely linked with the founding of Pennsylvania, established in the 1680s as a colony shaped by principles of tolerance and civil government. He also wrote extensively on religion and public life, and his career made him one of the most influential Quaker figures in the English-speaking world.

Penn died in 1718 in England, but his name and ideas endured on both sides of the Atlantic. For many readers, he remains a key figure in the early history of America and in the long struggle for liberty of belief.