Edmund Spenser

Edmund Spenser was born in London in 1552. While attending Cambridge, Spenser became interested in poetry. After graduation, he spent some time in Ireland, working in the service of Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton. In 1590, Spenser returned to England and published the first three books of The Faerie Queen, his most famous work. Spenser was able to obtain a pension from the Queen for his poetry, but he returned to Ireland after his next work offended the queen’s secretary, Lord Burghley. Spenser was driven from Ireland during the Nine Years War in 1598, and he died the following year in London. He was 46 years old.