Jane Porter (1776 -1850) was an English historical novelist, dramatist and literary figure. Her work The Scottish Chiefs is seen as one of the earliest historical novels and remains popular among children in Scotland. Porter is considered to have crafted and pioneered many of the narrative tools most commonly associated with both the national tale and the historical novel, though her claims during her lifetime to have done so were often ridiculed and dismissed. Her 1810 work The Scottish Chiefs, about William Wallace, one of the earliest examples of the historical novel, was very successful and the French version was banned by Napoleon. It has remained popular with Scottish children.