Lord Byron

Date of Birth: January 22, 1788

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: April 19, 1824

Biography

George Gordon Byron, commonly known as Lord Byron, was a British poet and a leading figure in the Romantic movement. Born on January 22, 1788, in London, England, Byron was the son of Captain John “Mad Jack” Byron and Catherine Gordon. He inherited the title of Lord Byron at the tender age of 10, following the death of his great-uncle. Byron is best known for his narrative poems “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” and “Don Juan,” which established him as one of the greatest poets of his time. Byron led a tumultuous life, marked by numerous love affairs, scandals, and travels across Europe. His flamboyant personality and unconventional lifestyle made him a controversial figure, while his literary works earned him immense popularity and critical acclaim. Byron was also deeply involved in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire, where he is considered a national hero. He died of fever in Missolonghi, Greece, on April 19, 1824, at the age of 36.

5 Interesting Facts about Lord Byron

1. Lord Byron was born with a clubfoot, a deformity that he was highly conscious of throughout his life.

2. He kept a pet bear while studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, because the college rules did not specify that students could not keep bears.

3. Byron was a key figure in the Greek War of Independence and is celebrated as a national hero in Greece.

4. He had a famously tumultuous love life, including a rumored incestuous relationship with his half-sister Augusta Leigh.

5. Byron was a close friend of fellow Romantic poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Lord Byron

1. “She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies.”

2. “The great art of life is sensation, to feel that we exist, even in pain.”

3. “If I don’t write to empty my mind, I go mad.”

4. “Friendship is Love without his wings!”

5. “I love not man the less, but Nature more.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his fame, Lord Byron’s net worth was estimated to be around £20,000, a substantial sum in the early 19th century, equivalent to several million pounds today.

Children

Lord Byron had one legitimate child, Ada Lovelace (born Augusta Ada Byron), with his wife Anne Isabella Milbanke. Ada Lovelace became a renowned mathematician and is often considered the first computer programmer. He also had several illegitimate children, including one with Claire Clairmont, the stepsister of Mary Shelley.