Whilst doing some basic wikipedia research I stumbled upon the fact that Voltaire died one year prior to the start of the French Revolution.
His beliefs for sure were pro-revolutionary and from what I've read at the time of his demise he was very popular and liked, also his funeral was festive((?)not a native English speaker).
Were there any direct ways that his death influenced the beginning of it? Like reminding people that no one else is going to fight for them now and they have to start fighting for themselves? Or was it just a coincidence that an event he would like to happen began a year after his death and the cause was pretty much disconnected from his persona?
In short, Voltaire's death did not directly trigger the revolution or influence its direction. However, it is debated amongst historians whether or not the Enlightenment was a key contributing factor to the revolution. As Voltaire contributed to Enlightenment thinking, one could make the argument that his work (rather than his death) indirectly influenced the revolution.
Simplistically put, the French Revolution originated in a financial crisis. This crisis triggered an aristocratic revolt (the Assembly of Notables, Revolt of the Parlements), which subsequently morphed into a general revolt during 1788-89 (Day of Tiles, Vizille Assembly, Estates-General, National Assembly). While most historians do agree on some key triggers of the revolution (government debt, bread prices, political publications etc.), other triggers remain disputed.
The impact of the Enlightenment (which Voltaire contributed to) is one such disputed trigger.
Some historians, such as William Doyle, reject the idea that the Enlightenment was a key contributing factor and that leading revolutionaries were heavily influenced by Enlightenment principles. Doyle states, “The French Revolution had not been made by revolutionaries. It would be truer to say that the revolutionaries had been created by the revolution.”
Other historians reject this idea completely, and argue forcefully that the Enlightenment was a major contributing factor to the direction of the revolution. Historian Jonathan Israel claims that ,"...all the philosophe-révolutionnaires were more or less solid republicans from the outset, insisting that the National Assembly possess all the power, authority, responsibility, and prestige of government." While Israel does not claim that Enlightenment philosophy caused the revolution, he does stress that leading revolutionaries such as Mirabeau and Sieyes were heavily influenced by its teachings. As a result, one could argue that Voltaire's teachings (and the principles he stood for) did indirectly influence the direction of the French Revolution.
If you're keen to dive more into the French Revolution, feel free to check out Grey History's French Revolution podcast.
Sources:
Israel, Jonathan. Revolutionary Ideas. Princeton University Press.
Doyle, William. Origins of the French Revolution. Oxford University Press.