The name ISAIAH means "The Lord is salvation"
Isaiah is often called "The Gospel Prophet".

Who was Isaiah?

Isaiah lived in Jerusalem and was closely connected with the royal court.
He was married and had two sons to whom he gave symbolic names --
Shearjashub "a remnant shall return" (7:3)
and Mahershalalbashbaz "Hastening to the spoil" (8:2,3)
He lived roughly 700 years before Christ.

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of four kings -- though it was when Uzziah died, that Isaiah received the vision noted in 6:1.
Uzziah also known as Azariah (a godly king, but who tried to sacrifice in the temple and was smitten with leprosy )
Jotham {also a good king, reigned for awhile with his father after Uzziah was smitten with leprosy, but he did not aggressively take away people's idols)
Ahaz (Did evil, according to the abominations of the heathen)
Hezekiah (Tried to rid the land of idol worship, and turn the people back to God, He trusted God)

Tradition says Isaiah was martyred when Manasseh became king, ( Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah but bent on rebellion against God) He killed God's prophets. Tradition says Isaiah hid in a tree and when he was found they sawed down the tree with him inside. (based on Heb. 11:37

What were things like during Isaiah's lifetime?

Spiritually --
The people were still going through the forms of worship as outlined in the books of Moses. However, idol worship, especially Baal worship was also being practiced with it's rituals and sacrifices, etc. even to sacrificing children. Many were basically viewing the worship to God in the same light as the heathen who worshipped many gods and thought as long as they kept the god's appeased and happy with gifts and sacrifices all would be well. Though revivals were attempted, the people were "bent on backsliding".

Politically --
The Assyrian power was reaching great heights. They had brought the Chaldeans (Babylon) in the east under their control and were now moving toward Syria and Palestine.
Locally Israel and Syria had joined forces and were causing trouble for the southern kingdom of Judah. (See 2Kings 16 and Isaiah 7) At this point King Ahaz made a serious mistake. Isaiah urged King Ahaz to trust in God, and God would deliver him and not make any alliances with other nations , but Ahaz but his trust in other nations, and actually appealed to the Assyrians and made an alliance with them to help him against Syria and Israel.
This Assyrians were happy to do this as they were eager to conquer both Israel and Syria. But their alliance with Judah was soon broken.
During Hezekiah's reign the Assyrians conquered Syria and Israel. The northern kingdom was gone. But they also conquered all the cities of Judah in the southern kingdom, EXCEPT Jerusalem.
King Hezekiah turned to God, and God wrought a miracle. (2 kings 19) for in one night an angel smote 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, braking the strength of the Assyrians and liberating Jerusalem.