PÉREZ BAYER, FRANCISCO. - Spanish scholar and polymath, b. at Valenza in 1711, d. there in 1794. After brilliant studies at Gandia and Salamanca, he taught Hebrew at the Universities of Valenza and Salamanca, arranged the Archives of Toledo, which earned him from King Ferdinando VI a canonry at Barcellona and a mission to Italy to study its archives. Having returned to his homeland, he revised the Archive of the Escorial and published its catalogue in 5 vols.
He was tutor to the children of Carlo III, director of the Royal Library, and canon of Valenza. He founded the town of
Benicasim and donated a rich library to the University of Valenza. His letters to Juan de Santander, published in vol. LXII of the Biblioteca di Rivadeneyra, contain many biographical details concerning P. B. Among his works dealing with linguistics, numismatics, and archaeology may be mentioned those on the Etimología de la lengua castellana (Madrid 1772) and on the Legitimidad de las monedas hebreosamaritanas (Valenza 1793).