Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616), often known as Cervantes, was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered to be the first modern European novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written. His influence on the Spanish language has been so great that the language is often called la lengua de Cervantes ("the language of Cervantes"). He was dubbed El Principe de los Ingenios ("The Prince of Wits"). (Excerpt from Wikipedia)