Miguel de Cervantes

Miguel de Cervantes is universally celebrated for writing "Don Quixote," which is widely regarded as the first modern novel in Western literature. The first part of the comedic masterpiece was published in 1605, followed by a second part a decade later in 1615.

Yes, Cervantes served as a soldier in the Spanish Navy Marines and fought in the pivotal 1571 Battle of Lepanto against the Ottoman Empire. He was shot three times during the battle, permanently losing the use of his left hand.

The novel follows a minor Spanish noble named Alonso Quijano who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind. He adopts the persona of a knight named Don Quixote, recruits a simple farmer named Sancho Panza as his squire, and sets out on a delusional quest.

Cervantes suffered severe financial difficulties and discrepancies in his tax accounts while working as a tax collector, leading to his imprisonment. It is widely believed by literary historians that it was during his time in jail that he first conceived the idea for "Don Quixote."