Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza
Encyclopedia
Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza (1566–1614) was a member of the Spanish nobility, a family connection of the Duke of Lerma and religious poet and writer.
Carvajal y Mendoza's parents died when she was young. The Jaraicejo native moved to live with her uncle and aunt in Pamplona
. Because she did not wish to marry, after her uncle's death, she lived a holy life by herself and a few servants in Madrid, claiming her inheritance against her brother through a legal suit. She at first wished to donate the amount to found a nunnery in Belgium, but with the help of the Jesuits, she decided to leave the monies to the Order and travel to England actively to seek converts to Catholicism
and perhaps martyr
dom for herself (Carter 1964)..
Arriving in London shortly after the Gunpowder Plot
of 1605, Carvajal y Mendoza attempted to reconvert the Anglicans to Catholicism by preaching in Cheapside
and publicly declaring the illegitimacy of the late Queen. Her actions, considered disruptive and traitorous, landed her in prison. To strike at her would be an embarrassment to the new ambassador, Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, soon to be conde de Gondomar
. Archbishop Abbot
, a Puritan
sympathizer, procured a warrant for her arrest, and she was seized in Spitalfields, at a little house that, it was asserted, she had established as a nunnery. Sarmiento, as he then was known, was unable to procure her release more discreetly through orders in Council and was forced to lodge a protest with James I
. Refusing the offer to free her if she promised to leave the country immediately, with the threat that he would leave with her, the Ambassador eventually procured her unconditional release through James's Council.
After a second imprisonment she fell mortally ill from a bronchial infection. King Philip III
arranged for her body to be shipped back to Spain, where she was revered at first as a putative saint. Her canonization proceedings, however, resulted only in her beatification.
Carvajal left autobiographical writings and a brief collection of religious poetry. Her unusual decision to travel to England as a missionary has attracted the attention of feminist scholars.
Carvajal y Mendoza's legacy in Spain was evidenced during the 1990s, when Spain's airline, Iberia
, named an Airbus A340
jet airliner
after her.
Carvajal y Mendoza's parents died when she was young. The Jaraicejo native moved to live with her uncle and aunt in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
. Because she did not wish to marry, after her uncle's death, she lived a holy life by herself and a few servants in Madrid, claiming her inheritance against her brother through a legal suit. She at first wished to donate the amount to found a nunnery in Belgium, but with the help of the Jesuits, she decided to leave the monies to the Order and travel to England actively to seek converts to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and perhaps martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
dom for herself (Carter 1964)..
Arriving in London shortly after the Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
of 1605, Carvajal y Mendoza attempted to reconvert the Anglicans to Catholicism by preaching in Cheapside
Cheapside
Cheapside is a street in the City of London that links Newgate Street with the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Mansion House Street. To the east is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and the major road junction above Bank tube station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St...
and publicly declaring the illegitimacy of the late Queen. Her actions, considered disruptive and traitorous, landed her in prison. To strike at her would be an embarrassment to the new ambassador, Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, soon to be conde de Gondomar
Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, conde de Gondomar
Don Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, Count of Gondomar , was a Galician diplomat, the Spanish ambassador to England in 1613 to 1622 and afterwards, as a kind of ambassador emeritus, as Spain's leading expert on English affairs until his death...
. Archbishop Abbot
George Abbot (Archbishop of Canterbury)
George Abbot was an English divine and Archbishop of Canterbury. He also served as the fourth Chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin, between 1612 and 1633....
, a Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
sympathizer, procured a warrant for her arrest, and she was seized in Spitalfields, at a little house that, it was asserted, she had established as a nunnery. Sarmiento, as he then was known, was unable to procure her release more discreetly through orders in Council and was forced to lodge a protest with James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. Refusing the offer to free her if she promised to leave the country immediately, with the threat that he would leave with her, the Ambassador eventually procured her unconditional release through James's Council.
After a second imprisonment she fell mortally ill from a bronchial infection. King Philip III
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
arranged for her body to be shipped back to Spain, where she was revered at first as a putative saint. Her canonization proceedings, however, resulted only in her beatification.
Carvajal left autobiographical writings and a brief collection of religious poetry. Her unusual decision to travel to England as a missionary has attracted the attention of feminist scholars.
Carvajal y Mendoza's legacy in Spain was evidenced during the 1990s, when Spain's airline, Iberia
Iberia Airlines
Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A., commonly known as Iberia, is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, it operates an international network of services from its main bases of Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport....
, named an Airbus A340
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
jet airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
after her.