Antoine Gombaud, Chevalier de Méré was a French writer, born at Poitou in 1607, who died on December 29, 1684. Coat of arms of Richard, Earl of Cornwall, Plantagenet claimant to the county of Poitou, now favored as the coat of arms of Poitou by people in Poitou Poitou is a province of France. ... Events January 20 - Tidal wave swept along the Bristol Channel, killing 2000 people. ... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ...

He is known for his essays on L'honnête homme (The Honest Man). As a contemporary of Pascal, the two corresponded frequently on the calculation of probabilities, leading to the founding of the theory of probability by Pascal and Fermat. Blaise Pascal (pronounced ), (June 19, 1623–August 19, 1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher. ... Pierre de Fermat Pierre de Fermat (August 17, 1601 – January 12, 1665) was a French lawyer at the Parliament of Toulouse and a mathematician who is given credit for the development of modern calculus. ...