Sir Walter Scott, (1771 - 1832) was a Scottish poet, playwright, politician, historian and historical novelist. He is best known for his many classics of English and Scottish literature, including Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Old Mortality, The Lady of the Lake, Waverley, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride Of Lammermoor.
The Lay of the Last Minstrel was the first romantic poem that Sir Walter Scott wrote, and it established him as a noteworthy poet. It is told by a seventeenth century minstrel who tells of a sixteenth century feud between Lady Buccleuch and Lord Cranstoun who loves the Lady's daughter. The poem, written in a rhythmic gothic style, includes ballads and involves folk elements, magic, and knights in combat. The Lay of the Last Minstrel was written in 1805.