CARLOS DE SIGÜENZA Y GÓNGORA: BIOGRAPHY, CONTRIBUTIONS AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2024

Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora (1645-1700) was a Mexican writer and historian, born in the period of New Spain, therefore, he was considered a New Spain. In addition, he was considered a polymath, that is, a connoisseur or wise man in various areas or disciplines.

Sigüenza and Góngora's extensive knowledge led him to write on different topics. His work dealt with religion, travel, astronomy, and also developed poetry. Among his titles, he highlighted the Philosophical Manifesto against comets stripped of the empire they had over the timid.

Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora. Source: See page for author, via Wikimedia Commons

The Mexican or New-Hispanic also stood out for being a mathematics teacher and an important cosmographer. In another vein, it is significant to know that many of the author's writings have gone through several modern editions, which allows us to keep it current.

Biography

Birth and family

Carlos was born on August 15, 1645, in New Spain, today Mexico. He came from a cultured and well-off family. Furthermore, on his mother's side, he was a relative of the Spanish poet Luís de Góngora. His parents were: Carlos Sigüenza and Dionisia Suárez de Figueroa y Góngora, both Spanish.

Carlos de Sigüenza's family was numerous: he had eight siblings, he being the second. The writer's parents came to Mexico five years before he was born. The father always remained linked to the monarchy in Spain, he had been a teacher of the royal family, and later an official in the Mexican viceroyalty.

Education of Sigüenza and Góngora

The first years of education of Sigüenza and Góngora were in charge of their father. At fifteen years of age he began to train with the Jesuits, first in Tepotzotlán and then in Puebla. In 1662 he made simple vows, and began ecclesiastical preparation.

Luis de Gongora, ancestor of Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora. Source: Diego Velázquez, via Wikimedia Commons

Later, after five years in the Society of Jesus, he was suspended for indiscipline. So he went to the Mexican capital to study at the Real y Pontificia Universidad de México. In 1668 he tried to return to the Jesuits; however, they rejected it.

First post

Sigüenza y Góngora had knowledge and ability in many disciplines, and literature was no exception. That is how in 1668, when he was barely seventeen years old, he published his first book of poems, inspired by the Virgin of Guadalupe. This was titled Indian Spring.

Work as a professor

Astronomy was also a matter of interest for Carlos Sigüenza y Góngora. For this reason, in 1671, his first almanac and lunary came to light. The following year he obtained the chairs of mathematics and astrology at the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico. His work there lasted twenty years.

His activities extended to the Amor de Dios Hospital, where he began to practice as a clergyman. This work was carried out throughout his life. In 1973, a year after starting as a professor, he was finally ordained a priest.

Firm to your astronomical knowledge

Sigüenza was a very particular and interesting character due to his vast knowledge. This was not usual at the time, since the texts to study were not easily accessible.

Despite the difficulty of obtaining knowledge, he was not greedy, but was interested and concerned about teaching, calm and tranquility to those who knew the least about the subjects he mastered.

Coat of arms of the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico, Góngora's place of study. Source: VegaMex (Óscar Vega), via Wikimedia Commons

This is how, in 1681, he published a Philosophical Manifesto against comets stripped of the empire that they had over the timid, with the aim of dispelling the fear that the population felt before such events. The strength of his knowledge helped greatly to separate astronomy from astrology.

Response to criticism

The material by Sigüenza and Góngora, mentioned in the previous section, generated some criticism. One of them was that of the Jesuit astronomer, explorer and priest Eusebio Kino. However, Carlos confronted him with astronomical Libra, consolidating his ideas with those of Descartes, Nicolás Copernicus and Galileo Galilei.

His famous biographical account

One of Sigüenza's most controversial works was Infortunios de Alonso Ramírez, because contemporary literature for a long time considered it implausible. However, scholars of his work found that the story was a real biography of a Spanish explorer.

Through an exhaustive documentary work, in 2009, the scholars of Sigüenza and Góngora's work confirmed the existence of the navigator's marriage certificate. In the same way, evidence of the capture of his ship by English pirates was also found, up to the place of the shipwreck in Mexico of the Ramírez fleet.

Priceless action amid the chaos

In 1961 Sigüenza devoted himself to the writing of several works, among them the Spanish Justice Trophy in the punishment of French treachery. That year was also hard for the nation, due to the very heavy rains that flooded the cities, and because the crops were lost due to a parasite.

The situation generated total chaos: the villagers caused great disorder in protest against the losses and lack of food. Faced with the burning of one of the government buildings, the scholar, in a heroic act, rescued the documents of the municipality of Mexico from the flames.

Sigüenza as a cosmographer

Carlos Sigüenza y Góngora's knowledge as a cosmographer made him an official of the viceroyalty of New Spain. He made a considerable amount of hydrological maps of the entire Valley of Mexico. His wisdom led him to cross borders.

Sigüenza participated in the delineation of the maps of the Bay of Pensacola and the delta of the Mississippi River, in 1693. This mission was entrusted to him by Gaspar de la Cerda y Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain and Count of Galve, together with the sailor Andrés Matías de Pez and Malzárraga.

Last years and death

Sigüenza y Góngora spent the last years of his life as a chaplain at the Amor de Dios Hospital. He also devoted himself to writing works such as Description of the womb of Santa María, alias Penzacola, de la Mobila and the Mississippi River, as well as Funeral Praise of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.

His patriotic feeling led him to gather information on the ancient history of Mexico. He died on August 22, 1700, in Mexico. His previous requests were the donation of his books to the Colegio Máximo de San Pedro y San Pablo, as well as being buried in the chapel of said Jesuit institution.

Contributions to Mexican literature

The literary work of Sigüenza y Góngora, as is known, covered several subjects. Therefore, he left Mexico broad bases of knowledge in the field of astronomy, literature and history. This allowed him, from an intellectual point of view, to free himself from European ideas.

Through his writings, the scholar made evidence of the need to separate himself from Spanish convictions. Carlos gave Mexicans the opportunity to make independent literature, against the conquest, in order to create their own knowledge and culture, and assert themselves without any complex.

Plays

- Eastern evangelical planet, sacropanegyric epic to the great apostle of the Indies S. Francisco Xavier (1668).

- Indian Spring, sacred historical poem, idea of ​​the Holy Mary of Guadalupe (1668).

- The Glories of Querétaro (1668).

- Theater of political virtues that constitute a prince (1680).

- Glorias de Querétaro in the new ecclesiastical congregation of María Santísima de Guadalupe… and the sumptuous temple (1680).

- Astronomical Libra (1681).

- Philosophical manifesto against comets stripped of the empire they had over the timid (1681).

- Partenic triumph that the Mexican Academy celebrated in glories of María Santísima (1683).

- Western paradise, planted and cultivated in its magnificent Royal Convent of Jesús María de México (1684).

- Heroic piety of Don Hernando Cortés, Marqués del Valle (1689).

- Misfortunes that Alonso Ramírez, a native of the city of San de Puerto Rico, suffered under the control of English pirates (1690).

- Astronomical and philosophical book in which he examines what a (Sigüenzas) Manifesto against comets… opposed the RP Eusebio Francisco Kino (1691).

- Relationship of what happened to the Barlovento army on the island of Santo Domingo with the quelna del Guárico (1691).

- Trophy of the Spanish justice in the punishment of the French treachery (1691).

- Description of the bosom of Santa María de Galve, alias Panzacola, de la Mobila and del Río Missisipi (1693).

- Flying Mercury with the news of the recovery of the New Mexico provinces (1693).

- Funeral praise of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1695).

Brief description of some of his works

Theater of political virtues that constitute a prince

This work was the opinion and criticism of the author on the construction of the Triumphal Arch for the then viceroy of Paredes. It was a defense of its culture and history, since the building was made inspired by Greek gods, while for Sigüenza the Mexican natives deserved to be simulated for their values.

Misfortunes of Alfonso Ramírez

It was a narrative biographical work written by Sigüenza in 1690. It dealt with the different exploits of a Spanish explorer born in Puerto Rico, named Alfonso Ramírez. His language was fluid, coherent and well structured. It has been considered the first Mexican novel.

Fragment of

"Oh, you, who on a throne of pure diamonds, stepping on stars clothed with the sun rays, to whose luster the Coluros offer

bright lights of your essays gift.

Purify my accent and my impure

lips are animated blooming mayos

that in your shadow my beautiful voice Maria

immortal triumphs of the changeable day ”.

References

1. Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Tamaro, E. (2004-2019). Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora. (N / a): Biographies and Lives. Recovered from: biografiasyvidas.com.
3. Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora. (S. f.). Cuba: Ecu Red. Recovered from: ecured.cu.
4. Raymond, E. (2015). A wise man from New Spain: Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora. Mexico: El Universal. Recovered from: eluniversal.com.mx.
5. Seguel, A. (2011). The work of Don Carlos Sigüenza y Góngora as a mechanism for intellectual emancipation. Chile: University of Chile. Recovered from: repositorio.uchile.cl.