Alfonso de Palencia
Encyclopedia
Alfonso Fernández de Palencia (El Burgo de Osma
?, Soria
, 1423 - Seville
, 1492), was a Castilian
pre-Renaissance
historiographer, lexicographer, and humanist
.
Of converso
origin, Fernández de Palencia was educated at the palace of the bishop of Burgos, Paul of Burgos
, a former rabbi
who had been converted to Christianity
by Saint Vincent Ferrer
. Fernández de Palencia became acquainted with Paul of Burgos’ son, Alfonso de Cartagena
.
Fernández de Palencia went to Italy
where he entered the service of Cardinal Bessarion, with whom he remained in Florence
until 1453. He became acquainted there with Vespasiano da Bisticci
, and studied the humanities
with George of Trebizond
at Rome
.
When he returned to Spain
, Fernández de Palencia stayed for a time at the home of the Archbishop of Seville, Alonso I de Fonseca. Fernández de Palencia succeeded Juan de Mena
as royal chronicler and secretary to Henry IV of Castile
. In 1468, he became a supporter of Prince Alfonso (who proclaimed himself "Alfonso XII") and intervened in the negotiations for the matrimony between Ferdinand and Isabella, which occurred in 1469. On Isabella’s accession to the throne in 1475, Fernández de Palencia lost his post as royal chronicler.
During the War of the Castilian Succession
, he served as a diplomat for Castile, assisting in the establishment of the Santa Hermandad in 1476 and the organization of naval reinforcements for the defense of Gran Canaria
, a Castilian possession, in 1479. According to Fernández de Palencia, he lost favor with the queen in 1480.
He died in 1492.
's work. This chronicle, written in Latin
, covers the time from the end of the reign of John II of Castile
to the year 1481, including the reign of Henry IV of Castile; Henry IV’s war with Prince Alfonso; the War of the Castilian Succession; the consolidation of Castile and Aragon under Ferdinand and Isabella; and the signing of the Treaty of Alcáçovas
.
The work is divided into four decades, each one consisting of 10 books except the fourth, which was left incomplete at Fernández de Palencia’s death, and consists of 6 books. The first three decades were translated into Spanish by Paz y Meliá and published under the title of Crónica de Enrique IV between 1904 y 1908. Most historians remained unaware of the fourth decade, which was published in 1971 by José López del Toro.
The other important work by Fernández de Palencia is his Anales de la Guerra de Granada, which concerns the Granada War
from its beginnings until the taking of Baza
in 1489. It was translated into Spanish by Paz y Meliá in 1909.
Fernández de Palencia also wrote Batalla campal entre los perros y los lobos (Pitched Battle Between the Dogs and the Wolves) (1457, which is a Castilian translation of his own Latin poem. It may be an allegory for the government of Henry IV of Castile. A wolf, Harpaleo, is killed by dogs after he is weakened by his neglect of military discipline. Fernández de Palencia also translated into Castilian his Latin work, the allegory
Tratado de la perfección del triunfo militar (1459. A character named “Exercise” (el Ejercicio), accompanied by the wise Discretion (Discreción), tries to find the character named Triumph (el Triunfo). Triumph refers Exercise to a Roman
captain named Gloridoneo, who may represent Alfonso V of Aragon
. Gloridoneo is victorious in battle and Triumph grants victory to Order, Exercise, and Obedience –virtues which will help a king emerge victorious, advice that may have been directed to Henry IV.
The work Coplas del provincial (The Provincial’s Couplets) is attributed to him.
He also wrote lexicographical and linguistic works:
His work as a translator was also very important: he translated in Spanish Plutarch's
Parallel Lives
(Seville, 1491) and also Flavius Josephus'
The Wars of the Jews
(1492).
Burgo de Osma-Ciudad de Osma, Soria
Burgo de Osma-Ciudad de Osma is the third-largest municipality in the province of Soria, in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon, Spain. It has a population of about 5,250.It is made up of two parts:...
?, Soria
Soria (province)
Soria is a province of central Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. Most of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico areaIt is bordered by the provinces of La Rioja, Zaragoza, Guadalajara, Segovia, and Burgos....
, 1423 - Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, 1492), was a Castilian
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
pre-Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
historiographer, lexicographer, and humanist
Renaissance humanism
Renaissance humanism was an activity of cultural and educational reform engaged by scholars, writers, and civic leaders who are today known as Renaissance humanists. It developed during the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, and was a response to the challenge of Mediæval...
.
Of converso
Converso
A converso and its feminine form conversa was a Jew or Muslim—or a descendant of Jews or Muslims—who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries. Mass conversions once took place under significant government pressure...
origin, Fernández de Palencia was educated at the palace of the bishop of Burgos, Paul of Burgos
Paul of Burgos
Paul of Burgos was a Spanish Jew who converted to Christianity, and became an archbishop, lord chancellor, and exegete. He is known also as Pablo de Santa Maria, Paul de Santa Maria, and Pauli episcopi Burgensis...
, a former rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
who had been converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
by Saint Vincent Ferrer
Vincent Ferrer
Saint Vincent Ferrer was a Valencian Dominican missionary and logician.-Early life:Vincent was the fourth child of the Anglo-Scottish nobleman William Stewart Ferrer and his Spanish wife, Constantia Miguel. Legends surround his birth...
. Fernández de Palencia became acquainted with Paul of Burgos’ son, Alfonso de Cartagena
Alfonso de Cartagena
Alfonso de Santa María de Cartagena was a Jewish convert to Christianity, a Roman Catholic bishop, diplomat, historian and writer of pre-Renaissance Spain....
.
Fernández de Palencia went to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he entered the service of Cardinal Bessarion, with whom he remained in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
until 1453. He became acquainted there with Vespasiano da Bisticci
Vespasiano da Bisticci
Vespasiano da Bisticci was an Italian humanist and librarian .Born near Rignano sull'Arno, not far from Florence, he was chiefly a dealer in books, or cartolaio, and had a share in the formation of all the great libraries of the time...
, and studied the humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
with George of Trebizond
George of Trebizond
George of Trebizond was a Greek philosopher and scholar, one of the pioneers of the Renaissance.-Life:He was born on the island of Crete, and derived his surname Trapezuntius from the fact that his ancestors were from Trebizond.At what period he came to Italy is not certain; according to some...
at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
When he returned to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Fernández de Palencia stayed for a time at the home of the Archbishop of Seville, Alonso I de Fonseca. Fernández de Palencia succeeded Juan de Mena
Juan de Mena
Juan de Mena was one of the most significant Spanish poets of the fifteenth century. He was highly regarded at the court of Juan II de Castilla, who appointed him veinticuatro of Córdoba, secretario de cartas latinas and cronista real...
as royal chronicler and secretary to Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV , King of the Crown of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent , was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile...
. In 1468, he became a supporter of Prince Alfonso (who proclaimed himself "Alfonso XII") and intervened in the negotiations for the matrimony between Ferdinand and Isabella, which occurred in 1469. On Isabella’s accession to the throne in 1475, Fernández de Palencia lost his post as royal chronicler.
During the War of the Castilian Succession
War of the Castilian Succession
The War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...
, he served as a diplomat for Castile, assisting in the establishment of the Santa Hermandad in 1476 and the organization of naval reinforcements for the defense of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
, a Castilian possession, in 1479. According to Fernández de Palencia, he lost favor with the queen in 1480.
He died in 1492.
Chronicles (Décadas)
His main work is the Gesta Hispaniensia ex annalibus suorum diebus colligentis, called, for short, his Décadas, because it was divided into decades in the style of LivyLivy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
's work. This chronicle, written in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, covers the time from the end of the reign of John II of Castile
John II of Castile
John II was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454.He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile.-Regency:He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of...
to the year 1481, including the reign of Henry IV of Castile; Henry IV’s war with Prince Alfonso; the War of the Castilian Succession; the consolidation of Castile and Aragon under Ferdinand and Isabella; and the signing of the Treaty of Alcáçovas
Treaty of Alcaçovas
The Treaty of Alcáçovas put an end to the War of the Castilian Succession in favor of Isabella I of Castile, and confirmed Castilian control of the Canary Islands and Portuguese control of the Madeira , Azores and Cape Verde islands , all in the Atlantic Ocean The Treaty of Alcáçovas (also known...
.
The work is divided into four decades, each one consisting of 10 books except the fourth, which was left incomplete at Fernández de Palencia’s death, and consists of 6 books. The first three decades were translated into Spanish by Paz y Meliá and published under the title of Crónica de Enrique IV between 1904 y 1908. Most historians remained unaware of the fourth decade, which was published in 1971 by José López del Toro.
The other important work by Fernández de Palencia is his Anales de la Guerra de Granada, which concerns the Granada War
Granada War
The Granada War was a series of military campaigns between 1482 and 1492, during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, against the Nasrid dynasty's Emirate of Granada...
from its beginnings until the taking of Baza
Baza, Granada
Baza is a town in the province of Granada in southern Spain. It has 21,000 inhabitants . It is situated at 844 m above sea level, in the Hoya de Baza, a valley of the Sierra Nevada, not far from the Gallego River. This town gives its name to the Sierra de Baza...
in 1489. It was translated into Spanish by Paz y Meliá in 1909.
Fernández de Palencia also wrote Batalla campal entre los perros y los lobos (Pitched Battle Between the Dogs and the Wolves) (1457, which is a Castilian translation of his own Latin poem. It may be an allegory for the government of Henry IV of Castile. A wolf, Harpaleo, is killed by dogs after he is weakened by his neglect of military discipline. Fernández de Palencia also translated into Castilian his Latin work, the allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
Tratado de la perfección del triunfo militar (1459. A character named “Exercise” (el Ejercicio), accompanied by the wise Discretion (Discreción), tries to find the character named Triumph (el Triunfo). Triumph refers Exercise to a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
captain named Gloridoneo, who may represent Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous KG was the King of Aragon , Valencia , Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica , and Sicily and Count of Barcelona from 1416 and King of Naples from 1442 until his death...
. Gloridoneo is victorious in battle and Triumph grants victory to Order, Exercise, and Obedience –virtues which will help a king emerge victorious, advice that may have been directed to Henry IV.
The work Coplas del provincial (The Provincial’s Couplets) is attributed to him.
He also wrote lexicographical and linguistic works:
- Opus Synonymorum, also known as De sinonymis elegantibus–, which concerns synonymSynonymSynonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
s - Uniuersale Compendium Vocabulorum (Vocabulario universal en latín y en romance) (Seville, 1490), bilingual Latin-Castilian dictionary, subsequently superseded by the work of Antonio de NebrijaAntonio de NebrijaAntonio de Lebrija , also known as Antonio de Nebrija, Elio Antonio de Lebrija, Antonius Nebrissensis, and Antonio of Lebrixa, was a Spanish scholar, known for writing a grammar of the Castilian language, credited as one of the first published grammars of a Romance language...
. - Compendiolum, a geographic and toponymic work
- Latin epistles
His work as a translator was also very important: he translated in Spanish Plutarch's
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
Parallel Lives
Parallel Lives
Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, commonly called Parallel Lives or Plutarch's Lives, is a series of biographies of famous men, arranged in tandem to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings, written in the late 1st century...
(Seville, 1491) and also Flavius Josephus'
Josephus
Titus Flavius Josephus , also called Joseph ben Matityahu , was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of...
The Wars of the Jews
The Wars of the Jews
The Jewish War , in full Flavius Josephus's Books of the History of the Jewish War against the Romans , also referred to in English as The Wars of the Jews and The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, is a book written by the 1st century Jewish historian Josephus.It is a description of Jewish...
(1492).