For centuries, evidence of Shakespeare's romance with the Earl of Southampton has been willfully misinterpreted or outright ignored.

Through historical evidence and deep readings of his famous, erotically charged works, Shakespeare's Greatest Love brings the Bard's long-lost love for Southampton back to life.

It was in the theater, at age twenty-seven, that Shakespeare met the love of his life: Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, a man who would be his muse for years to come.

Against a backdrop of plague, failed political rebellion, and restrictive anti-sodomy laws, the two men lived and loved for decades. Southampton's financial backing enabled Shakespeare's legacy, and, in turn, the Bard immortalized him in verse.

In Shakespeare's Greatest Love, author David Medina charges us to widen our understanding of Shakespeare's life and work. His celebration of Southampton's impact shows that Shakespeare's love for the earl was not just critical to his personal life but also served as the animating force behind some of history’s greatest literary works.