William Ernest Henley wrote the verses that became 'Invictus' in 1875. The un-named verses were published in his first volume of poems, 'Book of Verses', in 1888 as part of a section called 'Life and Death (Echoes)' and subsequently featured in a number of publications under different names. The title of 'Invictus' was added by editor Arthur Quiller-Couch when the poem was included in the 'Oxford Book of English Verse' in 1900.
In 1865, when Ernest Henley was 16 years old, his left leg was amputated due to complications caused by tuberculosis. Many amputees at the time died of gangrene due to poor hygiene. In 1873 he was told that his other leg would also need to be amputated. He refused and chose to go to Edinburgh to use the services of Joseph Lister, the pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative healthcare. Lister was able to save his leg after 20 months of multiple surgical operations. Henley wrote 'Invictus' whilst he was in hospital.
Invictus is the Latin word for unconquered. It refers to self-discipline and fortitude in adversity - supposedly viewed as a British trait at the time - 'a stiff upper lip'. The main message of the poem is that a person's destiny is in their own hands and whatever challenges they face they can choose to be a victim or have the courage, bravery, persistence and determination to fight back against all the odds.
Different lines from the poem have been used by many people including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Soo Kyi and Barak Obama. The Invictus Games were launched by Prince Harry in 2014. Invictus - unconquered - was chosen as an embodiment of the fighting spirit of wounded, sick and injured service personnel.
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