Juan de Valdés (c.1490 – August 1541) was a Spanish religious writer and Catholic reformer.
He was the younger of twin sons of Fernando de Valdés, hereditary ''
regidor
A regidor (plural: ''regidores'') is a member of a council of municipalities in Spain and Latin America. Portugal also used to have the same office of ''regedor''.
Mexico
In Mexico, an ayuntamiento (municipal council) is composed of a municipal ...
'' of
Cuenca in
Castile, where Valdés was born. He has been confused with his twin brother
Alfonso (a courtier of
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who attended Charles's coronation in
Aachen in 1520 and was Latin secretary of state from 1524). Alfonso died in 1532 in Vienna.
Biography
Juan, who probably studied at the
University of Alcalá
The University of Alcalá ( es, Universidad de Alcalá) is a public university located in Alcalá de Henares, a city 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Madrid in Spain and also the third-largest city of the region. It was founded in 1293 as a ...
, first appears as the anonymous author of a politico-religious ''Diálogo de Mercurio y Carón'', written and published about 1528. A passage in this work may have suggested
Don Quixote
is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of Wester ...
's advice to
Sancho Panza
Sancho Panza () is a fictional character in the novel ''Don Quixote'' written by Spanish author Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in 1605. Sancho acts as squire to Don Quixote and provides comments throughout the novel, known as ''sanchismos'', ...
on appointment to his governorship. The ''Diálogo'' attacked the corruptions of the Roman Church; hence Valdés, in fear of the
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition ( es, Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition ( es, Inquisición española), was established in 1478 by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Cathol ...
, left Spain for
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
in 1530.
In 1531 he moved to
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
, where his criticisms of papal policy were condoned, since in his ''Diálogo'' he had upheld the validity of
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagr ...
's marriage with
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until their annulment on 23 May 1533. She was previously ...
. On 12 January 1533 he writes from
Bologna
Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...
, in attendance upon
Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...
. From the autumn of 1533 he made Naples his permanent residence, his name being Italianized as Valdésso and Val d'Esso. Confusion with his brother may account for the statement (without evidence) of his appointment by
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)
* Infant ...
as secretary to the viceroy at Naples,
Don Pedro de Toledo; there is no proof of his holding any official position, though Curione (in 1544) writes of him as "cavalliere di Cesare." His house on the Chiaja was the centre of a literary and religious circle; his conversations and writings (circulated in manuscript) stimulated the desire for a spiritual reformation of the church.
His first production at Naples was a
philological
Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as ...
treatise, ''Diálogo de la Lengua'' (1535). His works entitle him to a foremost place among Spanish prose writers. His friends urged him to seek distinction as a humanist, but his bent was towards problems of Biblical interpretation in their bearing on the devout life.
Vermigli (Peter Martyr) and
Marcantonio Flaminio were leading spirits in his ''coterie'', which included the marchioness of Pescara
Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna (April 149225 February 1547), marchioness of Pescara, was an Italian noblewoman and poet. As an educated, married noblewoman whose husband was in captivity, Colonna was able to develop relationships within the intellectual ci ...
(April 1490; a widow since 1525 – 25 February 1547, aged 57), since 1537, and her younger widowed sister-in-law,
Giulia Gonzaga
Giulia Gonzaga (1513 – 16 April 1566) was an Italian ruler and letter writer of the Renaissance. She was the countess regnant of Rodigo as the heir of her late spouse between 1528 and 1541.
Biography
Giulia was born in Gazzuolo (near Man ...
, (1513; marries 1526, aged 13; a widow since 1529, aged 16 – 16 April 1566, aged 53).
His influence was great on
Ochino
Bernardino Ochino (1487–1564) was an Italian, who was raised a Roman Catholic and later turned to Protestantism and became a Protestant reformer.
Biography
Bernardino Ochino was born in Siena, the son of the barber Domenico Ochino, and at ...
, for whose sermons he furnished themes.
Pietro Carnesecchi
Pietro Carnesecchi (24 December 1508 – 1 October 1567) was an Italian humanist.
Biography
Born in Florence, he was the son of a da Andrea Carnesecchi, a merchant who under the patronage of the Medici, and especially of Giulio de' Medici ...
, (24 December 1508 – 1 October 1567), burned by the Inquisition in 1567, who had known Valdés at Rome as "a modest and well-bred courtier," found him at Naples (1540) "wholly intent upon the study of Holy Scripture," translating portions into Spanish from
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
and
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, with comments and introductions. To him Carnesecchi ascribes his own adoption of the Evangelical doctrine of justification by faith, and at the same time his rejection of the policy of the Lutheran schism. Valdés died at Naples in May 1541.
His death scattered his band of associates. Abandoning the hope of a regenerated Catholicism, Ochino and Vermigli left Italy. Some of Valdés's writings were by degrees published in Italian translations. Showing much originality and penetration, they combine a delicate vein of semi-mystical spirituality with the personal charm attributed to their author in all contemporary notices. Llorente traces in Valdés the influence of
Tauler; any such influence must have been at second hand. The Aviso on the interpretation of Scripture, based on Tauler, was probably the work of Alfonso. Valdés was in relations with Fra Benedetto of Mantua, the anonymous author of ''Del Benefizio di Gesù Cristo Crocefisso'', revised by Flaminio (reprinted by Dr Babington, Cambridge, 1855).
The suggestion that Valdés departed from Catholic Orthodoxy about the
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the ...
was first made in 1567 by the Transylvanian bishop,
Ferenc Dávid; it has been adopted by Sand (1684), Wallace (1850) and other
nontrinitarian
Nontrinitarianism is a form of Christianity that rejects the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Trinity—the belief that God is three distinct hypostases or persons who are coeternal, coequal, and indivisibly united in one being, or essence ...
writers, and is countenanced by Bayle. To this view some colour is given by isolated expressions in his writings, and by the subsequent course of Ochino (whose heterodox repute rests, however, on the insight with which he presented objections).
Gaston Bonet-Maury (1842–1919) comments: "Valdés never discusses the Trinity (even when commenting on Matt, xxviii. 19), reserving it (in his ''Latte Spirituale'') as a topic for advanced Christians; yet he explicitly affirms the consubstantiality of the Son, whom he unites in doxologies with the Father and the Holy Spirit" (Opusc. p. 145). Practical theology interested him more than speculative, his aim being the promotion of a healthy and personal piety.
Works
* ''Diálogo de Lactancio y un Arcediano'', also known as: ''Diálogo de las cosas ocurridas en Roma'', ca. 1527, as well as ''Diálogo de Mercurio y Carón'', ca. 1528, by Juan's brother:
Alfonso de Valdés, are ascribed to Juan in the reprint, . An Italian translation (by
Niccolò Franco ?) of both works was printed in Venice (1545) a
''Due dialoghi''
* .
* , from a manuscript in the Palatine Library, Vienna; ; .
* . First printing: Venice (1546). English translatio
''Alfabeto Christiano''by
Benjamin Barron Wiffen (1861); no Spanish original is known.
* (not later than 1545: a page was used by the Venetian edition (1545) of
John Calvin
John Calvin (; frm, Jehan Cauvin; french: link=no, Jean Calvin ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system ...
's Catéchisme de l'Eglise de Genève). English translation int
''Valdés' Two Catechisms'' No known Spanish original.
* ; all copies of the original edition suppressed by the Spanish Inquisition; thirty-nine of the .
*''Seven Doctrinal Letters'' (original published with the ''Trataditos'' from Vienna manuscript), in English, by JT Betts, with the Opuscules.
*''Comentario Breve... sobre la Epístola de San Pablo a los Romanos'', Venice, 1556 (with text; edited by Juan Pérez de Pineda); reprinted, 1856; in English, by J. T. Betts, 1883.
*''Comentario Breve... sobre la Primera Epístola de san Pablo a los Corintios'', Venice, 1557.
*''El Evangelio de San Mateo'' (text and commentary), 1881, from Vienna manuscript; in English, by JT Betts, 1883.
*''El Salterio'' (the Psalms from Hebrew into Spanish), published with the Trataditos from Vienna manuscript.
*At Vienna is an unpublished commentary in Spanish on Psalms i.–xli.
*
Christopher Sandius in his
Bibliotheca antitrinitariorum (1684) mentions a commentary on St John's Gospel, not known to exist.
Sources
Notices of Valdés are in , Bayle and . Revival of interest in him is due to
* .
* .
Fuller knowledge of his career was opened up by
Benjamin B. Wiffen
Benjamin Barron Wiffen (1794–1867) was an English Quaker businessman, bibliophile and biographer of early Spanish Protestant reformers.
Early life
The second son of John Wiffen, ironmonger, and his wife Elizabeth (née Pattison), he was born ...
, whose Life of Valdés is prefixed to Betts's translation of the . Discoveries have since been made in the Aulic Library, Vienna, by
Edward Boehmer:
* .
*
* .
See also
* .
* .
* .
* .
* Barry Collett, ''Italian Benedictine Scholars and the Reformation'',1985
* .
* .
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valdes, Juan De
1490s births
1541 deaths
People from Cuenca, Spain
Spanish male writers
Spanish twins
Spanish expatriates in Italy
16th-century Spanish Roman Catholic theologians