The Castle of Otranto is a book by English author Horace Walpole, first published in 1764. Generally regarded as the first gothic novel, it tells the story of Lord Manfred, whose family is plagued by a prophecy that foretells the end of their rule. When his son Conrad is mysteriously killed on his wedding day, Manfred becomes desperate to secure the family line. He plans to marry the princess, Isabella, while divorcing his wife, Hippolita. However, Isabella escapes with the help of a peasant named Theodore. As Manfred pursues them, a series of events unfold, leading to tragic consequences. The book was first published under a pseudonym, with the claim that the story was a translation of an ancient Italian manuscript, and it was highly praised by critics. When Walpole admitted authorship however, the same critics turned on the book, dismissing it as 'unsavoury' and 'absurd', among other things.