Byron, George Gordon

Byron, George Gordon, 6th Baron of Rochdale (178 8-1824), poet, b. London.

Lord Byron became famous in 1812 with his poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.

For the next four years he was the most popular poet in London. Fourteen thousand copies of one of his poems were sold in a day, and, whenever famous people had parties, they always invited him.

Then Byron's wife left him and people said he had treated her badly. He left England and lived for a time in Venice. One of the poems he wrote there was his masterpiece Don Juan.

In 1823 Byron went to Greece. The country was, at this time, ruled by Turkey and the Greeks were trying to drive out the Turks. Byron joined the rebel army but the following year he fell ill and died.

To the Greeks he was, and still is, a hero. His body was sent back to England and buried at Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire.

See George Gordon Lord Byron Lord Byron the Major Works