Alfonso Fernández de Madrigal
Alfonso Fernández de Madrigal, commonly known as El Tostado, was a prominent 15th-century Spanish cleric, philosopher, and scholar. Born to working-class parents, he received his early education from Franciscan priests in Arevalo before advancing his studies at the University of Salamanca, where he earned a master of arts degree and was later ordained as a priest. His influential career as a professor at Salamanca led him to produce a significant body of work, primarily focused on law, philosophy, and theology, much of which was tied to his teaching.
In 1454, he became the bishop of Ávila, further establishing his religious and academic authority. El Tostado's writings were notable for their accessible translations of biblical texts from Latin into Castilian, aimed at educating a non-Latin speaking audience. His commentaries emphasized literal interpretations of scripture, making complex religious concepts more understandable for the general public. Additionally, he adhered to academic traditions by delivering public lectures and composing treatises on various subjects, showcasing his diverse intellectual pursuits. Overall, Fernández de Madrigal's work reflects his commitment to education and his role as a religious instructor, highlighting his profound impact on both his contemporaries and future generations.
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Alfonso Fernández de Madrigal
Writer
- Born: c. 1410
- Birthplace: Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Ávila, Spain
- Died: 1455
Biography
Alfonso Fernández de Madrigal, who was commonly known as El Tostado, a name which may have indicated his skin tone or his ancestry, wrote extensively on a variety of subjects including law, philosophy, and theology. He was the son of working-class parents and it is believed that he was educated by Franciscan priests in Arevalo. Later he moved to Salamanca to continue his studies, and it is there that he was ordained a priest. By 1432, he had earned a master of arts degree from the University of Salamanca. He composed a large volume of his writing while he was a professor at Salamanca, a position in which he was highly respected as a teacher and a priest. Much of his writing seems to have been related to his lectures in the classroom. In 1454, de Madrigal was ordained as the bishop of Ávila.
The writing of Alfonso Fernandez de Madrigal reflects his religious and academic training. His careful reading and subsequent interpretations of biblical text resulted in commentaries that were widely respected and circulated because de Madrigal translated them from Latin into Castilian for the non- Latin speaking public. His commentaries were focused on literal interpretations of biblical text rather than complex moral analyses that also made his writing accessible to the general public. He was aware of his role as religious instructor of the public, and wrote treatises explaining the role of Mary and the nature of Jesus for the religious instruction of those under his influence.
Another body of de Madrigal’s writing resulted from a common academic requirement of his position as a professor. It appears that students and teachers were required to present yearly lectures based on the academic study of the trivium. The topics of these lectures might be philosophical, theological, grammatical, or political. The repetitiones, or public lectures, presented by de Madrigal showed his scholastic expertise. In addition to these writings, de Madrigal wrote commentaries that demonstrated his knowledge of history and law and essays to be read by the general public based on subjects that he studied at the College of Salmanca.
De Madrigal was skilled at writing about elevated topics in a style that an uneducated public could understand. His role as a translator developed as his goal of making his writing accessible extended to writing Latin texts in Castilian and other Castilian texts in Latin. De Madrigal’s writing is evidence of his many interests and his highly developed intellect.