Samuel von Pufendorf was a German jurist, political philosopher, and historian who lived from 1632 to 1694. He is best known for his work on natural law and international law, particularly his books "Of the Law of Nature and Nations" and "On the Duty of Man and Citizen," which built upon and revised the theories of Thomas Hobbes and Hugo Grotius. Pufendorf's ideas on natural rights, the social contract, and the relationship between church and state were influential during the Enlightenment and played a role in shaping modern political thought.