Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (London, May 25, 1803 – Torquay, January 18, 1873) was an English writer, novelist, poet, playwright, and politician. He was immensely popular among readers and wrote a series of bestsellers that earned him a considerable fortune. He was also a Rosicrucian. Bulwer-Lytton is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Bulwer-Lytton was born on May 25, 1803, the son of General William Earle Bulwer and Elizabeth Barbara Lytton. He had two older brothers, William Earle Lytton Bulwer (1799–1877) and Henry Bulwer (1801–1872). When Edward was four years old, his father died, and his mother moved to London. He was a delicate and neurotic child, unhappy in most of the schools he attended. However, when he was fifteen, one of his teachers encouraged him to publish his first independent book, "Ishmael and Other Poems."