Born in 1547--a very important year in European history. Frances I of france died, opening France to half a century of religious turmoil. (for Spain to exploit). Henry VIII died in England, only a year after Martin Luther (in mid-sermon), thus proving to Catholic Spain that God was enthusiastic to its religious cause by removing the two heretics!! Also, in 1547, Emperor Carlos V defeated the Protestant armies at Muhlberg. His explanation, "I came, I saw, and God conquered!"

As Hernan Cortes died in Seville, in the countryside around Alcala de Henares, on Oct. 9, 1547 in the converse quartger of Alcala (a university town 20 m. northeast of Madrid) was born Miguel de Cervantes--his father a barber-surgeon by trade. In his life, Cervantes would be poor, mostly self-educated, physically mutilated, a slave, a jailbird, a social outcast, throughout most of his life an obscure failure. From this life of hardship-enriched soil...