Summary
Highlights
Cervantes worked as a royal commissary in Seville, collecting taxes for the Crown, which garnered him enemies and led to his imprisonment on suspicion of embezzling public funds. It was during this time in prison that he conceived his masterpiece, the first part of 'The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha.' He later finished the work in Valladolid.
Don Quijote was published in Madrid when Cervantes was almost 58, achieving immediate and widespread success. It was re-published six times in 1605 alone and quickly translated into other languages, becoming one of the most edited, translated, and commented books globally, second only to the Bible. Cervantes died in Madrid at 68 from diabetes in 1616, the same year as William Shakespeare. He is regarded as one of the most significant figures in universal literature.
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born in 1547 in Alcalá de Henares, the fourth child of a humble surgeon. His family moved frequently, living in Valladolid and Madrid. Cervantes developed an early love for writing and theater, but an incident leading to a possible exile forced him to Italy, where he absorbed its culture and art.
At 24, Cervantes participated in the Battle of Lepanto, where he sustained a hand injury that earned him the nickname 'the one-handed man of Lepanto,' though his hand was not amputated. After continuing his military service, he attempted to return to Spain but was captured by Algerian corsairs due to letters of recommendation suggesting his importance. He remained captive in Algiers for several years as his family could not afford the exorbitant ransom.
Upon his release, Cervantes returned to Spain, engaging in various occupations, including a spy for King Felipe II. He married Catalina de Salazar, but the marriage was unsuccessful and they separated without children. Earlier, he had an illegitimate daughter from a relationship with a tavern owner's wife.