Sir Thomas Malory

Date of birth: 1405 — Date of death: 1471

Writer. Born into gentry, son of John Malory (esquire) and Philippa Chetwynd. Little is known about Malory's education. His most famous work, The Book of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, was used by Lord Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) as inspiration for Idylls of the King. He had become a knight by 1421 and is believed to have spent time on the continent. During the War of the Roses, Malory spent long periods in prison where it is assumed he began writing. Malory's Arthurian legend is still used today as the standard source on the topic.