Edmund Spenser (c.1552 -1599) was an English poet. He is best known for his epic poem The Faerie Queene, which celebrated, through fantastical allegory, the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. Spenser was born and educated in London. Then he served with the English forces during the Second Desmond Rebellion. During the Nine Years War in 1598, Irish rebels drove Spenser from his home. His castle in North Cork was burned. Spenser is considered to be one of the first modern poets. He used a distinctive verse form called the Spenserian stanza. This biography is a valuable source for anyone studying English literature.