Diego de Covarrubias
Encyclopedia
Diego de Covarrubias y Leyva (or y Leiva) (Toledo
, July 25, 1512 - Segovia
, September 27, 1577) was a Spanish lawyer, politician and clergyman. He was one of the most distinguished members of the School of Salamanca
during its golden age.
on July 25, 1512. His father was Alonso de Covarrubias (1488-1570), an architect who designed the New Kings chapel of the Cathedral of Toledo
. Diego's younger brother, Antonio de Covarrubias (1514/24-1602), would be a professor of law at the University of Salamanca
and served as consejero of Castile
.
Diego de Covarrubias was educated at the University of Salamanca
, where he studied canon law
under Martín de Azpilcueta
and theology
under Francisco de Vitoria
and Domingo de Soto
.
on April 28, 1560. Archbishop Covarrubias was appointed Bishop of Segovia on October 25, 1564, holding that post until September 6, 1577, when he was transferred to the Diocese of Cuenca. He died only three weeks after this transfer, on September 27, 1577, in Segovia
. He was buried in a marble
sarcophogus in Segovia Cathedral
, near the old entrance to the cathedral built by the Catholic Monarchs
, which today leads to the cloister
.
, Covarrubias took part in the academic debates about whether or not the Spanish should enslave the natives of the New World
. Covarrubias opposed enslaving the native peoples.
Covarrubias also played an important part in the developing field of economics
. With Luis de Molina, he developed a subjective theory of value
, arguing that the price
of goods was determined by the agreement of buyer and seller in light of a product's relative abundance or scarcity.
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, July 25, 1512 - Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
, September 27, 1577) was a Spanish lawyer, politician and clergyman. He was one of the most distinguished members of the School of Salamanca
School of Salamanca
The School of Salamanca is the renaissance of thought in diverse intellectual areas by Spanish and Portuguese theologians, rooted in the intellectual and pedagogical work of Francisco de Vitoria...
during its golden age.
Background and Early years, 1512–1556
Diego de Covarrubias was born in ToledoToledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
on July 25, 1512. His father was Alonso de Covarrubias (1488-1570), an architect who designed the New Kings chapel of the Cathedral of Toledo
Cathedral of Toledo
The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Toledo, Spain, seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo....
. Diego's younger brother, Antonio de Covarrubias (1514/24-1602), would be a professor of law at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
and served as consejero of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
.
Diego de Covarrubias was educated at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
, where he studied canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
under Martín de Azpilcueta
Martín de Azpilcueta
Martín de Azpilcueta , or Doctor Navarrus, was an important Spanish canonist and theologian in his time, and an early economist, the first to develop monetarist theory.-Life:...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
under Francisco de Vitoria
Francisco de Vitoria
Francisco de Vitoria, OP was a Spanish Renaissance Roman Catholic philosopher, theologian and jurist, founder of the tradition in philosophy known as the School of Salamanca, noted especially for his contributions to the theory of just war and international law...
and Domingo de Soto
Domingo de Soto
Domingo de Soto was a Dominican priest and Scholastic theologian born in Segovia, Spain, and died in Salamanca at the age of 66...
.
Episcopate, 1556-1577
On April 24, 1556, without his being consulted in advance, Covarrubias was appointed Archbishop of Santo Domingo. On January 26, 1560, he was named Bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo, at the same time retaining archiepiscopal rank in his personal capacity; he was consecrated by Fernando de Valdés y SalasFernando de Valdés y Salas
Fernando de Valdés y Salas, was a Spanish churchman and jurist, Professor of Canon Law at the University of Salamanca, and later its Chancellor....
on April 28, 1560. Archbishop Covarrubias was appointed Bishop of Segovia on October 25, 1564, holding that post until September 6, 1577, when he was transferred to the Diocese of Cuenca. He died only three weeks after this transfer, on September 27, 1577, in Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
. He was buried in a marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
sarcophogus in Segovia Cathedral
Segovia Cathedral
Segovia Cathedral is a Roman Catholic religious building in Segovia, Spain. It is located in the main square of the city, the Plaza Mayor, and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary....
, near the old entrance to the cathedral built by the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
, which today leads to the cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
.
Thought
As a member of the School of SalamancaSchool of Salamanca
The School of Salamanca is the renaissance of thought in diverse intellectual areas by Spanish and Portuguese theologians, rooted in the intellectual and pedagogical work of Francisco de Vitoria...
, Covarrubias took part in the academic debates about whether or not the Spanish should enslave the natives of the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
. Covarrubias opposed enslaving the native peoples.
Covarrubias also played an important part in the developing field of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. With Luis de Molina, he developed a subjective theory of value
Subjective theory of value
The subjective theory of value is an economic theory of value that identifies worth as being based on the wants and needs of the members of a society, as opposed to value being inherent to an object....
, arguing that the price
Price
-Definition:In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services.In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency...
of goods was determined by the agreement of buyer and seller in light of a product's relative abundance or scarcity.