Hernando de Acuña (c. 1520 – 22 June 1580), a native of

Valladolid Valladolid () is a municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. It has a population around 300,000 peop ...

, was a Spanish poet and translator of the Spanish Golden Age. He was admired by Emperor

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...

for both his military and literary talents.

Life

Of noble birth, he devoted his youth to arms and fought as a soldier in Italy under the command of

Alfonso d'Avalos Alfonso d'Avalos d'Aquino, 6th Marquis of Pescara, 2nd Marquis of Vasto (1502 – 31 March 1546), was an Italian condottiero of Aragonese origins, renowned for his service in favor of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Biography H ...

in the War of Piedmont between the French and the Holy Roman Empire. He also served in Germany. During this period he wrote verses to two ladies known as "Silvia" and "Galatea". Captured by the French, he was released by the emperor Charles, who appointed him governor of Querasco. In 1557 he participated in the Battle of St. Quentin. About 1560 he abandoned his military career and moved back to Spain, marrying a cousin named Juana de Zúñiga. He settled in Granada, where he and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza became the most famous of local poets. He died at Granada in 1580.

Literary works

Hernando de Acuña represents the first generation of Petrachian poets in Spain. He is best known for sonnets, eclogues and elegies. Several works were dedicated to Charles V, including the well-known sonnet "Ya se acerca, señor, o ya es llegada", which sums up Charles' political creed as "Un monarca, un imperio y una espada". As a pastoral poet he excelled. His translation of ''le Chevalier délibéré'', the well-known chivalric romance by

Olivier de la Marche Olivier de la Marche (1425–1502) was a courtier, soldier, chronicler and poet in the last decades of the independent Duchy of Burgundy. He was close to Charles the Bold, and after his death held the important position of maître d'hotel to his ...

, under the title of ''El Cavallero Determinado'', was much esteemed by the emperor; so indeed were his translations from

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

and

Juan Boscán Almogáver Joan Boscà i Almogàver (, es, Juan Boscán Almogávar; 1490 – 21 September 1542), was a Spanish poet who incorporated hendecasyllable verses into Spanish. Biography The exact date of birth for Boscà is unclear, but there is a consensus tha ...

, and his ''Poesías varias''. Other poems were published by his widow in 1591.Chambers Biographical Dictionary, , p.7 His contemporary

Lewes Lewknor Sir Lewes Lewknor (c.1560–1627) was an English courtier, M.P., writer, soldier, and Judge who served as Master of the Ceremonies to King James I of England. M.P. for Midhurst in 1597 and for Bridgnorth 1604–10. His career has been descri ...

translated works by him into English.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Acuna, Hernando De 1520s births 1580 deaths Writers from Valladolid 16th-century Spanish writers 16th-century male writers Spanish male poets 16th-century Spanish poets

Life

Literary works

See also

References