Madame de Staël, born Anne-Louise Germaine Necker in 1766, was a prominent French writer and intellectual during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She is best known for her influential works on literature, politics, and philosophy, particularly her book On Germany, which introduced French readers to German Romanticism. A strong advocate for freedom of expression, Madame de Staël was also a key figure in the cultural life of her time, hosting salons that brought together notable thinkers and artists, including Lord Byron and Benjamin Constant. Her ideas significantly shaped European thought during the post-Revolutionary period.