Miguel de Cervantes was born 20 miles away from Madrid, Spain in the year 1547 (talk about old!). He was the fourth of seven children. Being from so long ago much isn't known about Cervantes's childhood. We know that 1) he became an avid reader at a young age and 2) he didn't go to University like every other Spanish writer of the time. He published his first work of fiction (a poem) in 1569. That same year he attempted to lie low by working in Italy after getting in trouble with the law. A year later, he enlisted as a soldier. He saw his glorious battle in 1571 at the Gulf of Lepanto. There he fought in a naval battle: Spaniards versus Turks. Spain crushed the Ottoman Empire's forces, but Cervantes wasn't quite so lucky. He sustained three gunshot wounds to the chest and an injury rendered his left hand useless for the rest of his life. He didn't retire from service, though, and proceeded to do in-land clerical work for a time. During this brief stint, he devoured Italian literature. Then he got the go ahead to go back to being a sailing soldier only to get captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Algiers. He often stood up to his slave masters, gaining admiration from the captive community. After three long years in 1580, his family raised enough money to pay the ransom and bring Cervantes home. Life wasn't easy after slavery, though. Despite being a wounded war veteran, he received no recognition or aid. Cervantes spent the next 25 years struggling to make ends meet. During these tough times, he had an affair with Ana de Villafranca (*gasp*). With no forms of birth control, Ana gave birth to a daughter (*double gasp*), who she dumped on Cervantes. A year later, Cervantes met his wife (18 years younger than him!). The marriage was a tolerable one, but nothing more.  Then, Cervantes launched his literary career with a book of poems (La Galatea). His circle of literary friends boosted the book's reputation and Cervantes saw a pretty penny for it. He turned to dramas after that, writing 20-30 plays, which the public often despised (it's no wonder no one has a list of his plays) by throwing rotting cabbage at Cervantes and his actors. Perhaps because of this failure, Cervantes went back to work for the government. But writing was still in his heart and in 1598 started work on his masterpiece: Don Quixote. The book was an instant success and Cervantes churned out story after story afterwards. His literary fame did nothing for his home life, where the family still struggled to be normal, pay the bills, and stay safe (there was a stabbing incident). When Cervantes died, he was working on four unfinished books, but those close to him was aware enough to "bade the world goodbye."