George Gordon was born on Jan. 22, 1788, in London. His great-uncle, from whom he inherited his title, was known as “wicked” Lord Byron; and his father, an army officer, was called “mad Jack.” Born with an abnormally formed foot, he was sensitive about his appearance all his life. When he was 3 years old his father died, leaving the boy and his mother nearly penniless.

Byron succeeded to the title of baron when he was 10. The honor brought with it a half-ruined estate, Newstead Abbey, and a moderate income. At 17 he entered Cambridge University. He read much literature but cared little for other subjects. Determined to overcome his physical disability, Byron became a good rider, swimmer, boxer, and marksman.

His first collection of poetry, published when he was 19, was a volume called Hours of Idleness. It was attacked by the Edinburgh Review. Byron responded with a satire entitled English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. His travels in Europe and the Middle East inspired his first long poem, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. The first two sections were published in 1812, and he became famous almost overnight. Women sought him out, and young men copied his fashion style of wearing an open collar and flowing cravat.

In 1815 he married Anne Milbanke. They had one daughter but soon separated. The public reacted unfavorably to Byron's often scandalous conduct, and in a fit of temper he left England for Italy. There he wrote additional cantos for Childe Harold; Manfred, a verse play; and Don Juan, a half-romantic, half-humorous poetic version of the old Spanish story. Byron became interested in Greece's struggle to free itself from Turkish rule, and he went to Greece to help organize the revolt. He died of a fever at Missolonghi (now Mesolongion) on April 19, 1824.