John Wilmot (Earl of Rochester)

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (1647–1680), was an English Restoration poet and courtier at the court of Charles II. Educated at Wadham College, Oxford, he inherited his title in 1658 and later served in the Second Anglo-Dutch War. Rochester became notorious for sharp satire and sexually explicit, libertine verse that mocked hypocrisy and courtly pretension. His writings circulated largely in manuscript during his lifetime, contributing to his reputation for wit and scandal. He also wrote drama and occasional pieces, and his name became emblematic of Restoration rake culture. Rochester died in 1680, aged 33.