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Pepys

Samuel Pepys (1633–1703) was an English naval administrator and diarist whose writings provide one of the most important first-hand accounts of Restoration England. Born in Salisbury, he entered government service in London and rose to high-ranking positions within the Royal Navy, where his administrative work helped shape naval policy during a period of conflict and reform.

Pepys kept a detailed diary from 1660 to 1669, recording daily activities, official affairs, and personal observations.

After his death, the diary was published and has since been widely studied as a foundational primary

The
entries
cover
a
wide
range
of
topics,
including
politics,
the
functioning
of
government,
social
life
in
London,
the
arts,
science,
and
everyday
commerce.
The
diary
is
especially
valued
for
its
eyewitness
depictions
of
major
events
such
as
the
Great
Plague
of
1665–66
and
the
Great
Fire
of
London
in
1666,
as
well
as
for
its
portraits
of
contemporary
society
and
culture.
source
for
the
seventeenth
century.
Beyond
the
diary,
Pepys’s
career
in
the
Navy
Office
is
noted
for
contributing
to
the
administration
and
modernization
of
the
Royal
Navy
during
his
era.
Modern
editions
and
scholarly
work
continue
to
analyze
Pepys’s
writings
for
their
detail,
reliability,
and
literary
quality,
reinforcing
his
place
in
both
historical
and
literary
contexts.