Here is the biography of Samuel Shellabarger:
Samuel Shellabarger was brought up by his paternal grandparents after losing both his parents as an infant. His grandfather was a well-known Ohio lawyer and later a US congressman and Ambassador to Portugal. This upbringing gave Shellabarger a unique perspective on American history, which he would later draw upon as a scholar and writer.
Shellabarger was a well-traveled individual, having visited much of Europe as a youth and later studying at Princeton University and the University of Munich. He served in the US Army during World War I and was posted to the Intelligence Service. After the war, he continued to travel to Europe, marrying and starting a family.
Shellabarger was a multilingual individual, speaking and writing fluently in French, German, Swedish, Italian, Dutch, and Spanish. He published both scholarly works and novels, using pen names for his lighter works. His most famous novel, "The Chevalier Bayard, A Study in Fading Chivalry", was published in 1928 and remains the only definitive treatment of Bayard in English.
In 1938, Shellabarger was appointed headmaster of the Columbus girls' school in Ohio, a position he held for eight years. During this time, he began to entertain the idea of writing historical fiction, drawing on his love of swashbuckling tales and his interest in Renaissance history.
Shellabarger's historical novels were a huge success, including "Captain from Castile", "Prince of Foxes", and "The King's Chevalier". His novels were known for their concise and realistic dialogue, detailed narrative, and compelling stories. Hollywood optioned several of his novels, including "Captain from Castile" and "Prince of Foxes", which were adapted into successful films.
Shellabarger continued to write until his death in 1954, leaving behind a legacy of historical novels that remain popular to this day.
