Born in Gloucester, England in 1849, William Ernest Henley was diagnosed with tubercular arthritis at the age of 12 and went through years of pain and discomfort. Henley wrote Invictus whilst in hospital undergoing treatment for tuberculosis of the bones, specifically those in his left leg, which had to be amputated from the knee down. He was still only a young man at this time.

He managed to save his right leg by refusing surgery and seeking an alternative form of treatment from a Scottish doctor, James Lister.

It was during his time in Edinburgh that Henley met the writer Robert Louis Stevenson. They became friends and corresponded on a regular basis. Stevenson later admitted that he had based his character Long John Silver - from the book Treasure Island - on Henley, he having a wooden leg, a strong rasping voice and a forceful personality.

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