Born: 5 May 1846 · Died: 15 November 1916 · Age: 70
Polish novelist of Quo Vadis and the historical Trilogy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905
Did you know?His portrait appeared on the Polish 500,000 zloty banknote during the early 1990s before the currency was redenominated.
Quick facts
Date of birth5 May 1846
Date of death15 November 1916
Age at death70
Cause of deathCardiovascular disease, aortic aneurysm
NationalityPolish
BirthplaceWola Okrzejska, Poland
Occupationnovelist, screenwriter, journalist
Editor's Take:
Henryk Sienkiewicz was Poland's most popular novelist. He wrote while Poland was divided among foreign powers. His historical trilogy, With Fire and Sword, The Deluge and Sir Michael, revived national pride. Quo Vadis, set in Nero's Rome, became an international bestseller. He travelled widely and wrote about America. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905. He died during the First World War.
Key Milestones
1876: America – travels and writes
1884: With Fire and Sword – Trilogy begins
1896: Quo Vadis – world fame
1900: The Knights of the Cross – novel
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz (US: shen-KYAY-vitch, -KYEV-itch; Polish:; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (Polish:), was a Polish epic writer.
