Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a renowned German playwright, poet, philosopher, and historian. He is considered one of Germany's most important classical playwrights. Born in Marbach to a devoutly Protestant family, Schiller was initially intended for the priesthood. However, in 1773, he entered a military academy in Stuttgart where he studied medicine.

During this time, Schiller wrote his first play, The Robbers, which achieved great success. After briefly serving as a regimental doctor, he left Stuttgart and eventually settled in Weimar. In 1789, Schiller became a professor of History and Philosophy at Jena, authoring numerous historical works.

Schiller's life from 1788 to 1805 was marked by his productive yet complex friendship with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, another giant of German literature. Their discussions on aesthetics led to the era known as Weimar Classicism. Together, they founded the Weimar Theater and co-authored Xenien, a collection of short satirical poems.