Enrique de Villena
Enrique de Villena (c. 1382-1434) was a notable figure of Spanish nobility and literature, born to a lineage connecting him to the Castilian and Aragonese aristocracy. Despite his prestigious background, including claims to the Marquess of Villena title, he faced political challenges that hindered his aspirations. Villena was educated at his grandfather's court in Valencia, where he engaged with prominent literary figures and developed his writing skills. He married María de Albornoz, but eventually left his title to join the Order of Calatrava as a friar, a position he struggled with despite royal backing.
Throughout his life, Villena focused on promoting education among the aristocracy, translating classical works like the Aeneid and Dante's Commedia into Castilian, and authoring a treatise on poetry. His works aimed to cultivate leadership qualities within the nobility. Unfortunately, much of his writing was lost or destroyed due to political strife and accusations of heresy. After his death, his legacy became intertwined with rumors of necromancy. Despite these challenges, Villena is remembered for his contributions to medieval literature and his role in making classical texts accessible to a wider audience.
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Enrique de Villena
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- Born: c. 1382
- Birthplace: Cuenca, Spain
- Died: 1434
- Place of death: Madrid, Spain
Biography
Enrique Villena was born sometime between 1382 and 1384 to Juana of Castile, the illegitimate daughter of King Enrique II, and Pedro de Villena, who was a direct descendant of King Pedro of Aragón. As such, Villena was connected to some of the most powerful members of the aristocracy in Castile and Aragón. However, because of political maneuvering, Villena was never able to reclaim the title of Marquess of Villena which had been given to his grandfather, and to which he felt entitled.
Villena spent much of his youth at his paternal grandfather’s court in Valencia. Here he met some of the most important literary and intellectual figures of the time, who influenced some of his writing. During the early years of the fifteenth century, Villena traveled to Castile, where he married María de Albornoz, a wealthy heiress from Cuenca. Although he received the title of Count of Cangas and Tineo from his cousin, King Enrique III, Villena abandoned the court and began to travel. Around the same time, the position of master of the Order of Calatrava became vacant, and Villena applied for the position. He was allowed to divorce his wife and renounce his title in order to become a friar of Calatrava. Using his royal influence, Enrique III was able to force the religious order to accept Villena as their master. However, Villena was inept in the position, and was removed after the death of the king.
Villena returned to the court in Aragón in 1412, after the coronation of Infante Fernando as king. He remained at court until 1417. During this time, he translated the story of the twelve labors of Hercules into Castilian. Villena’s motive in the translation was to provide an education for the aristocracy so that they could become worthy leaders. It is likely that Villena also wrote his treatise on the art of poetry, Arte de trovar, around the same time. Both of these works were designed to influence the Castilian court of King Juan II. Villena continued to write additional works, some of which were commissioned by members of the court for the next several years. From about 1427 on, he concentrated on the translation of classic literature into Castilian, including the Aeneid and Alighieri Dante’s Commedia.
Through the political maneuvering by Alfonso V of Aragón, Villena was disqualified as heir to the duchy of Gandia. Also threatened with separation from his wealthy wife, he was forced to seek economic support from his nephew, Juan II of Castile. He was appointed as the Seigneur of Iniesta, where he remained until his death in 1434. After his death, his property and library were confiscated by Juan II. Much of Villena’s work was destroyed by fire because some of his writing was considered dangerous. In the following centuries, Villena’s fame rested on the rumors that he had been a necromancer. The importance of his work is that although his writing is medieval in its purpose, he paved the way for private readers to enjoy the classical literature.