Walter Scott was born on 15 August 1771 in Edinburgh. A Scottish novelist, poet and playwright, Scott was a pioneer of the historical novel and one of the most popular writers of his time. Trained as a lawyer, he first became known for narrative poems such as The Lady of the Lake, and then turned to the Waverley novels, including Rob Roy, The Heart of Midlothian and Ivanhoe, which brought Scottish history and landscape to a world audience. He helped shape the modern image of the Highlands and organized the visit of George IV to Edinburgh in 1822. Financial ruin after the collapse of his publishers drove him to write relentlessly to repay his debts.
Before and after
- 16 December 1770Birth of Ludwig van Beethoven
- 1771Construction of Vatican Museums
- 1771Discovery of oxygen
- 1771Arkwright opens Cromford Mill, the first modern factory
- 15 August 1771Birth of Walter Scott
- 1772Discovery of barium
- 1772Construction of place de la Concorde
- 1772Discovery of nitrogen
- 8 March 1772Discovery of Biela's Comet
More in Art, literature & culture
- from 18th century to 19th centuryRomanticism
- 1830Publication of Book of Mormon
- 1890Rise of Art Nouveau
- c. 1900sRise of Expressionism
- 1907Rise of cubism
- c. 1910sRise of Dada
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.