ARGENSOLA (ARGENSOLA), BARTOLOMÉ LEONARDO de. — Spanish poet, storyteller, and historian, originally of an Italian family, the Leonardos of Ravenna, born at Barbastro on 26 Aug. 1562, died at Saragossa on 14 Feb. 1631. He studied at Huesca, Saragossa, and Salamanca, and, after being ordained priest in 1588, later became chaplain to Mariana of Austria. Upon the empress’s death, he withdrew from court but was appointed majordomo to the Crown of Aragon.
Though his historical work is estimable (Relación de las alteraciones populares en Zaragoza, año de 1591, left unfinished; Primera parte de los Anales de Aragón [1630], continuing Zurita; Memorias de la gloria de la conquista de las Islas Molucas [1600]), he owes his greater fame to his poetic vein, which won him the esteem of Lope and Calderón and earned him, shared with his brother Lupercio, the title of “Spanish Horace.” His output was chiefly religious, and by its resplendent sonority, rhetorical dignity, soaring and enthusiastic flight, it has seemed to Valbuena comparable to some of the finest poetry of the English Metaphysical school, especially that of Richard Crashaw. Among his admired works in this vein are songs and sonnets on the death of Christ, on St Teresa, St Mary Magdalene, St Lawrence, St Michael, etc.