On this day, September 29, in 1547, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (universally known simply as “Cervantes”) was born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. He wrote a number of plays, poems and novels, but it is his master work, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha – better known simply as Don Quixote – for which he has achieved immortality. Unable to support himself through his writing, at various times in his life he joined the army (where he was captured by corsairs, and spent five years in slavery before being ransomed), was a purchasing agent, an accountant and a tax collector. He died at age 68 of diabetes and liver disease.