Don Quixote

Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) fought against the Ottoman Empire and was wounded at the Battle of Lepanto. Captured by pirates, he was enslaved for five years until a ransom secured his release. While working as a civil servant, he produced poetry and plays that were largely ignored but the 1605 publication of part I of Don Quixote, followed by the 1615 publication of part II, ensured his lasting fame.