‘The Castle of Otranto’ cited as the first Gothic novel, was written by the English art historian, antiquarian and politician Horatio Walpole (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797). The novels gothic themes can be seen in the story of Manfred, lord of the castle of Otranto, and the tragic events of his family. The pseudo medieval themes of the story were further emphasized in the first edition, which purported the story to be that of a translation based on a manuscript printed at Naples in 1529. By combining fiction, horror and romanticism, Walpole initiated the gothic literary genre that would influence later gothic writers and poets such as the Romantic poets, and Edgar Allen Poe.