Spenser was dubbed "The Poets' Poet" by Charles Lamb. He mentored more poets, including some of the most prominent, than any other poet. Furthermore, he is the poets' poet since he is the poet of scholars and poets well educated in classical heritage and humanistic studies, rather than the poet of the average man. He has been called the father of modern poetry because of his innovative work on the form and content of poems. In addition to being regarded as one of the best-known poets of England, Spenser is also noted for his literary style and skillful use of language. His work exerted a great influence on many later poets, especially Shakespeare. He is still read today in English schools and universities because of his devotion to learning. He was born on May 1st, 1452 in London. His parents were wealthy merchants who owned land in Ireland and Spain. When Spenser was eleven years old, his father died and his mother soon followed. Since there were no brothers or sisters, he was raised by his widowed grandmother. She had several marriages under her belt and enjoyed a lively social life which included friends from all walks of life - artists, musicians, diplomats. Spenser must have learned much from this example of a successful woman who managed to raise five male grandchildren. When Spenser was twenty-one years old, he traveled abroad for three years and during that time he visited France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.