Born in 1759, died in 1808; his father a lieutenant in the
Seven Years' War; published "The Robbers" in 1781, printing
it at his own expense; incurred the displeasure of the Duke
of Wurtenberg and removed to Bauerback near Meiningen, where
he lived until 1783 under the name of Dr. Schmidt; published
"Love and Intrigue" in 1784; removed to Leipsic in 1785, and
thence to Dresden; published "Don Carlos" in 1787; removed
to Weimar in 1787; published "Revolt of the Netherlands" in
1788; professor of history at Jena in 1789; published
"History of the Thirty Years' War" in 1790-93; began his
friendship with Goethe in 1794; published "Wallenstein's
Camp" in 1799; followed by "Piccolomini," "Wallenstein's
Death," "Marie Stuart" (1801), "The Maid of Orleans" (1802);
ennobled by the Emperor in 1802; published "William Tell" in
1804.
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