Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes ( 1547 - 1616 )

	Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish writer of the Golden Age, whose satiric novel Don Quixote is one of the masterpieces of the world literature. Because of his eloquent style and remarkable insight, Cervantes has achieved acclaim comparable to that given to such literary greats as the English playwright William Shakespeare.

He wrote a lot of poems when he was a student in 1568. Several of his poems were published in Madrid. One year later, in 1569, he went to Italy. He began working for Giulio Cardinal Acquaviva in Rome one year later, in 1570. He only worked a year, before he joined the Spanish military regiment in Naples. He fought in the battle of Lepanto, in which he lost the use of his left hand.

In 1575, after further military duty, he left Italy and went back to Spain. On his journey back, he was captured by Barbary Pirates. He was taken to Algiers and imprisoned for a long time. In 1580 Trinitarian friars paid a considerable sum of money for his freedom. His new-found freedom had problems attached. He was deep in debt for the money the paid for his freedom.

Four years later he married a 17 years old woman in Spain, whom was almost twenty years younger. After marrying, he soon managed to obtain a position as a government official in the south.

It was in 1590 where Cervantes was know as a promising author. He was not only writing romans and short stories, but he was also writing for theaters. His most famous work, Don Quixot de la mancha, was published in two parts in Madrid. Part I appeared in 1605; the second part in 1615. His work was a great success. The first part was soon translated into English and French.

A wide audience was interested by the novels of Cervantes. In 1613 his completed collection of short stories appeared in Madrid; his satiric poem, Journey from Parnassus was published in 1614. His best work is still know as Don Quichote!