When and where was Miguel de Cervantes born?
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born around the 29th of September 1547 in Alcalá de Henares. His father Rodrigo worked as a barber-surgeon and frequently moved the family due to debt.
Questions about Miguel de Cervantes
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Miguel de Cervantes lose his left arm?
On the 7th of October 1571, Miguel de Cervantes fought at the Battle of Lepanto aboard the ship Marquesa and received three separate wounds that rendered his left arm useless forever. He received six months of care at the Civic Hospital in Messina Sicily after the battle.
What happened during Miguel de Cervantes captivity by Ottoman corsairs?
In early September 1575, Ottoman corsairs captured Miguel de Cervantes and his brother Rodrigo on the galley Sol near Barcelona. After four escape attempts over five years, Trinitarian religious charity freed him in 1580 while Turkish historian Rasih Nuri İleri found evidence suggesting he worked on construction projects in Istanbul during captivity.
When were Part One and Part Two of Don Quixote published by Miguel de Cervantes?
Part One of Don Quixote appeared in January 1605 challenging chivalric romances popular for over a century. An unauthorized version published under Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda's name in 1614 pre-empted Miguel de Cervantes' own continuation so he finally produced Part Two in 1615 showing greater sophistication than the first volume.
Which works did Miguel de Cervantes write before his death in 1616?
Miguel de Cervantes claimed to have written over twenty plays including El trato de Argel based on captivity experiences. His collection Novelas ejemplares contained twelve short stories covering social political and historical problems of Spain while Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda completed just before death was published posthumously in January 1617.