Rafael Sabatini was born April 29, 1875 in what was then the small town of Jesi, Italy, which is near the Adriatic and the seaport of Ancona. He passed away on February 13, 1950 and is buried in Adelboden, Switzerland. A popular author during his lifetime, he produced 31 novels, 8 short novel/short story collections, 6 nonfiction books, numerous short stories, and a play. (Source: http://www.rafaelsabatini.com/)