Juan de Lucena
Juan de Lucena was a 15th-century scholar and diplomat born around 1430 in Soria, Spain, to a family of conversos—Jews who converted to Christianity. His heritage as a Jewish descendant influenced his education and philosophical writings, particularly in a Spain where Jewish identities were often perilous. Lucena studied under Bishop Alfonso de Cartagena in Burgos, which led to his appointment at the papal court in 1458, during a time of humanist resurgence in Italy. Rather than engage directly with the contemporary humanist debates, he translated Bartolomeo Facio's work "De vitae felicitate" into Spanish and produced his own influential text, "Dialogo de vita beata."
After serving as an ambassador for Prince Ferdinand, where he witnessed significant political events, Lucena entered a period of what he termed involuntary exile around 1482, during which he penned several religious treatises. His literary work, primarily composed in Latin, reflects his ties to the Italian tradition rather than the emerging Castilian literary movement. Despite navigating the complexities of his converso background, he contributed significantly to the spread of Italian humanism in Spain and maintained his faith in Christianity throughout his life. Lucena's legacy is marked by his attempts to reconcile his cultural identity with his literary endeavors, leaving behind a blend of political, religious, and philosophical writings.
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Juan de Lucena
Writer
- Born: c. 1430
- Birthplace: Soria, Spain
- Died: c. 1506
- Place of death:
Biography
Juan de Lucena was born in Soria, Spain, around 1430. His father, Juan Ramírez de Lucena, and mother, Catalina Ramírez, were conversos, Jews who converted to Christianity. Apparently, the experience of being Jewish by heritage but Christian by baptism was the dominant force in Lucena’s upbringing, education, and philosophical writings. Fifteenth century Spain was not a safe haven for Jews, and conversion to Christianity might have been more than a matter of religion; it might have been the family’s means of survival.
Lucena began his schooling locally, eventually moving to Burgos, Spain, a smaller village than Soria, but a center for religious learning. His relocation allowed him to study under Alfonso de Cartagena, the resident bishop. As a result of the bishop’s acquaintance with the pope, Lucena secured a post at the papal court in 1458. At this time, Italy was undergoing a significant humanist reawakening because of the reintroduction of the classics. Rather than participate in the humanist debates that raged around him, Lucena chose to translate De vitae felicitate (1448) by Bartolomeo Facio into Spanish. His translation was popular in Spain, and Lucena adapted Facio’s ideas for his own widely read Dialogo de vita beata.
In 1464, Lucena returned to Spain to enter the diplomatic service of Prince Ferdinand. As the prince’s ambassador, he witnessed significant world events, including the signing of the truce between England and France that ended the War of the Roses and the agreement between King Enrique IV and the nobles who opposed him that led to the ascension of Isabella to the throne of Castile. Lucena left public service around 1482, living in what he described as involuntary exile while serving as abbot of Soria. During this period he wrote his other noteworthy religious treatises, Epistola exhortatoria a las letras and Tratado de los galardones.
Information about Lucena’s personal life is limited. His will designated Juan Ramirez de Lucena, his nephew, as his sole heir, even though he likely fathered Luis de Lucena, author of Repetición de amores (c. 1496).
Lucena wrote in Latin rather than the vernacular of his homeland, placing his works more in touch with the Italian tradition than the evolving Castilian literary movement. The fact that he was a converso may have led to the literary choices that define his legacy. Even though he was a witness to important political events of his age, he chose to write about other matters and to devote his energies to bringing Italian humanism to Spain, albeit in its most orthodox form. It is also possible to conceive of his writings as attempts to prove his devotion to his adopted religion, Christianity. Whether or not the latter was solely or partially his motive, he survived the Spanish Inquisition, served in the diplomatic corps of Prince Ferdinand, and completed his life in relative obscurity as a servant of the Catholic Church.