Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Books in Order

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is a renowned Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, the innovative novel <i>Don Quixote</i>, is widely regarded as the first modern novel. Born in Alcalá de Henares, Cervantes was the son of Rodrigo de Cervantes, a surgeon of cordoban descent. His mother, Leonor de Cortinas, hailed from Arganda del Rey. Cervantes spent time in Italy, where he served as a valet to Cardinal Giulio Acquaviva, and later enlisted in a Spanish Navy infantry regiment. Captured by Algerian corsairs in 1575, he was released on ransom and returned to Madrid. In 1584, Cervantes married Catalina de Salazar y Palacios, whose uncle is said to have inspired the character of Don Quixote. He spent the next 20 years working as a purchasing agent and tax collector, facing financial setbacks and imprisonment. Notable periods in his life include his time as a purchasing agent for the Spanish Armada and his tenure as a tax collector between 1596 and 1600.