George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron
George Gordon Noel Byron, 6th Baron Byron, best known as Lord Byron (January 22, 1788-April 19, 1824).| Image:LordByron.jpg |
The best-known Romantic poethis own day, Byron was famously described by Lady Caroline Lamb,former lover who continuedstalk himmany years, as "Mad, baddangerousknow". Some surmise that bipolar disorder caused his tempestuous moods.
His father was Captain John Byron, an English aristocrat; his mother, Catherine Gordon, wasScottish one. He was born withclubbed foot,handicap that he was particularly sensitive to. His father left his mother before he was born. Asresult his mother moved backnortheast Scotland shortly after his birthLondonhe was raisedAberdeen, Scotlandstraitened circumstances.
His early life was spentAberdeen untilageten, when he inheritedtitlepropertyhis great-uncle, William Byron. He moved from placeplace, which included Dulwich, Harrow,Cambridge,built upreputation asbisexual, and, after meeting his half-sister, Augusta Leigh, rumours spread about him having an incestuous relationshipher. These would befirstmany scandalshis life. Notable Poems:
- Childe Harold
- The Giaour
- Prometheus
- The Corsair
- Don Juan (pronouncedrhyme"ruin")
He poetryscandalous reputation made him an known personalityLondon society. It wasLondon he met Lady Caroline Lamb,wifeWilliam Lamb, an up-and-coming politician attime who would later bePrime-MinisterEngland. He also was very active speaker inHouseLords.
Byron married Anne Isabella Milbanke ("Annabella") at Seaham Hall, County Durham on 2 January 1815, butseparated after less than two years. However, their marriage yieldeddaughter, Ada Lovelace, who became notableher contributions toearly studywhatnow known as computer science,particular she wasfirst programmer. She never knew her father.
Rumours spread about his debthis incestuous affairs,in 1816 he leftEnglandGeneva, Greece. There he became friends Percy Bysshe Shelley,Mary Shelley,authorFrankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, which many believebefirst science-fiction novel. He also had an affairauthor's step-sister, Claire Clairmont,whom he had an illegitimate child with. Byron refusedhave anythingdoClairmont,would only agreebeher presenceifShelleys were present, who eventually persuaded Byronacceptprovide forchild.
He went onItaly,in his two years there wrote was some consider his best work, including Lament Of Tasso,Don Juan.
He was sympatheticGreecetheir struggle againstOttoman Empire,set sail on The Herculesjoin thembattle. However, before seeing any serious action, Byron contractedfever which he diedin Mesolongi, Greece on April 19, 1824. His remains were returnedEngland but refused bydeansboth WestminsterSt Paul's; his body was finally placedrest infamily vault inParish Church Cemetery at Hucknall Torkard, near Newstead AbbeyNottinghamshire.
Note: The image shown hereLord Byron isphoto ofportrait by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun.
{| border="2" align="center"
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|width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
William Byron
|width="40%" align="center"|Baron Byron
|width="30%" align="center"|Followed by:
George Anson Byron
|}
