Fernando de Herrera - Biography

Biography

Although Herrera's family was only moderately wealthy, they were highly esteemed in Seville. During Herrera's lifetime, Seville was a bustling port city from which many transatlantic voyages would embark, and trading took place with countries all over the world. This active atmosphere, however, was somewhat contradictory to Herrera's character. He therefore sought solace from the busy city life through his poetry. However, whereas spending much of his time in seclusion allowed him to concentrate on his work and artistic interests, it also brought him much criticism from others. The academic community, especially Rodrigo Caro and Juan Gutiérrez Rufo, mocked him for his unorthodox ways.

Although well-learned and knowledgeable — Herrera was a great admirer of Italian poetry, the classics, and the Bible (all of which influenced his work) — he was never known to have held any academic degree. He admired one Spanish poet in particular, Garcilaso de la Vega, whose style influenced his own poetry. Herrera did not just have an antiquarian interest in knowledge, however; he was interested in current events, especially those related to the military. Evidence of this is seen in his patriotic canciones (songs) in which he expresses feelings toward contemporary military leaders and actions.

To accommodate his need for refuge, Herrera took minor orders in the Catholic Church and received a benefice in San Andrés, a parish of Seville. However, though Herrera displayed a love for solitude, he was no hermit. Around 1559, he struck up a friendship with Don Álvaro Colón y Portugal, Count of Gelves, and his wife, Doña Leonor de Milán de Córdoba y Aragón. Herrera was frequently invited by the count to attend his tertulia (literary salon), a meeting of an elite literary circle where he would form many friendships with local poets, men of letters, painters, and artists. It was his relationship with Doña Leonor that provided Herrera with his muse. Herrera's love for Doña Leonor inspired his love poems. However, they were never enough to provoke the same feelings in her.

After the death of Leonor in 1581, Herrera lost his desire to write further love poetry. In addition, the death of the count in 1582 ended his attendance at the disbanded literary tertulia at the palace. Henceforth, Herrera devoted himself to two major projects: a history of the world up to the death of Charles V and a biography of Thomas More. The writer continued to work up to his death in 1597 at the age of 63.