Short answers, pulled from the story.
Walter Scott was born on the 15th of August 1771 in a third-floor apartment on College Wynd in Edinburgh. He spent his childhood at his grandparents farm at Sandyknowe under the shadow of Smailholm Tower.
A childhood bout of polio in 1773 left Walter Scott lame for the rest of his life. This physical condition forced him into quiet contemplation and horseback riding which fostered a deep connection to the landscape that became the setting for his historical romances.
The Lady of the Lake sold 20,000 copies in its first year after publication in 1810. This figure dwarfed the sales of any other work of its time and established Walter Scott as the most popular poet of his era.
Walter Scott orchestrated the 1822 visit of King George IV to Scotland by having the monarch dressed in tartan and greeted by people in similar ceremonial dress. This event rehabilitated the public perception of the Scottish Highlands and made tartan a potent symbol of Scottish identity.
A British banking crisis in 1825 caused the collapse of the Ballantyne printing business and left Walter Scott with debts of £130,000. He refused to declare bankruptcy and instead placed his house and income in a trust to pay off creditors while writing to clear the debt.
Walter Scott died at Abbotsford on the 21st of September 1832 at the age of 61. Although he died owing money his novels continued to sell and the debts encumbering his estate were discharged shortly after his death.