Sir Philip Sidney (30 November 1554 – 17 October 1586) becomes one of the Elizabethan Age's most prominent figures.

Famous in his day in England as a poet, courtier and soldier, he remains to be known as the author of Astrophel and Stella (1581, pub.

1591), The Defence of Poetry (also known as The Defence of Poesy or An Apology for Poetry, 1581, pub.

1595), and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia (1580, pub.

1590).