Bernáldez, Andrés

BERNÁLDEZ, ANDRÉS. - Spanish writer b. at La Fuente toward the middle of the 15th century and d. probably in 1514, parish priest of Los Palacios and chaplain of the archbishop of Seville, Diego de Deza.

He was the first to write a history of the Catholic Monarchs (Historia de los Reyes Católicos don Fernando y doña Isabel) which covers the period 1453-1513, and in which he dwells in particular on events of great importance, such as, for example, the expulsion of the Jews and the establishment of the Inquisition (of which the B. is a convinced supporter), the war of Granada, the conquest of the Canaries, etc., as well as events of other countries, of which, however, the author never gives a personal interpretation. The work, pleasant to read and written in a lively and picturesque language, complements the one written on the same subject by Hernando del Pulgar (1436-93 ca.) and is rich in information supplied directly by contemporary figures: indeed, it contains the first narrative of the discovery of America based on Columbus's Diario, with numerous details on the first two voyages supplied directly by Columbus himself. The Historia was publ. in 1856 by M. Lafuente y Alcántara and subsequently in the Bibl. de autores espán. 70, Madrid 1878, pp. 267-773.

Iole Scudieri Ruggieri