Heinrich Schliemann ( January 6, 1822 - December 26, 1890) was a German archeologist and discoverer of the ruins of the legendary city of Troy. After finishing his formal education at 14, he went into business and made his fortune. In 1863 he retired and devoted himself to the task of proving the truth behind ancient Greek legends, particularly the account of the Trojan War in Homer's Iliad. He needed an assistant who was knowledgeable in matters pertaining to Greek culture. He was introduced to 17 year old Sophia Engastromenos (1852-1932). He married her in 1869, despite the 30 year difference in age. In 1870 Schliemann discovered the ruins of Troy at Hissarlik in Turkey. He later excavated the ruins of Mycenae (1876-78), Ithaca (1878), Orchomenus (1881-82) and Tiryns (1884-85). Schliemann's work proved that much of the Iliad is based on fact. In late 1890, he had an operation on his chronically infected ears. On Christmas Day he collapsed into a coma and died in a Naples hotel room. He was 68 years old.
