• Moorish and Jewish Writers
• Authors from the XVIth century
• Authors from the XVIIth century
• Authors from the XIXth century
• Autores del Siglo XIX
• Authors from the XXth century

 

• Moorish and Jewish Writers

AH´MAD B. S´AID B.M.B. ´ABD B. AL FAIIDI He was born in Ecija and wrote EL IBAR (Book of Lessons or Advice). It is also remarkable his Geography Treatise.

ABD-AL-RAH MAN B. MUSA AL JAUAR He was born in Ecija on mid-Xth century and wrote a book about  “Tafsir” (Qur’an’s Interpretation). He travelled eastwards and met M´Alik B. Anas. Back in Ecija he became Cadi (Muslim Judge) and died in Abd-al- manb Al Hakan time.

´UMAR B. MUSALMA B. GUARDAN AL´AMARI He was born in Ecija. He was considered along his time a great historian and prestigious legal expert, not only in Ecija but also in Cordova –Arabian World Cultural Centre at those moments- reaching high position at Cordovan capital where he died in 993; his remains were moved to Ecija’s mukabar. He was nicknamed “Abu Hafas”.

ISM´AIL B. ISH´AQ B. IBR.ZIIAD B. ASUD IBN AL´TAH AN He was born in Ecija in 918. This fertile author wrote about General and Local History describing many Ecijan contemporaneous and previous to him personages. He lived in Ecija for many years, later on he moved to Cordova and afterwards to Seville. He was known by his nickname “ Abul –I Qasim”.

MUH´AB B. IDRIS AL´ ADAULA AL F´ARD He was born in Ecija. This man of renowned encyclopaedic knowledge outstood at the fields of Grammar, Mathematics and Jurisprudence; he was one of the most famous erudites on the Treatise of Legacies. He died in Ecija in 963 and was known by the nickname “Abu Musa”

MUH ´ AMMAD B. ´UTSMAN B. S´AID B. MAH AMIS AL CHA AR He was born in Ecija. This famous poet wrote poems praising the Caliph. He died in 986. He was known by the nickname “Abu´Abd-al Lah”.

SAHAL B. IBR. B. NUH´B. ´ABD He was born in Ecija in 910. He moved to Elvira in 931 and died there when he was eighty-seven years old. He outstood at Mathematics and Qur’an’s Comments. He wrote a book read by al Faradi. His nickname was “Abu-L Qasim” and was also known as “Ibn Al´ Atar” of Legacies.

• Authors from the XVIth century

JERÓNIMO DE AGUILAR

He was born in Ecija.
He went to America on one of the first expeditions organized for the New Continent’s Conquest.
During the sailing to Santo Domingo, the ship wrecked at Catoche shore.
The native people took the survivors as prisoners, killed most of them and postponed Aguilar’s sacrifice due to his weakness.
He lived among the Indians for eight years learning their language.
He was rescued by Hernan Cortes whom he served as interpreter during all Mexico’s conquest, especially with Tabasco Indians.
After the conquest, he settled in Mexico where he got important posts and helped several military expeditions; besides, he became the first man who preached the Gospel in the New Continent in its natives’ language; he was specially devoted to Marian preaching using for this the Image that Hernan Cortes brought at his expedition, Our Lady the Virgin of Guadalupe, later the name of the Spanish-speaking world and Mexico’s Saint Patron.
He died in 1526.

GARCI SÁNCHEZ DE BADAJOZ

He was considered an Extremadura man because his surname* but he was born in Ecija as his contemporary Juan Aragones –who wrote the “Doce Cuentos“ or Twelve Tales attached by Timoneda at the beginning of his own “Alivio de caminantes” or Walkers’ Relief- witnessed and affirmed.
*: Badajoz is one of the two provinces of Extremadura.

This great poet of polite and acute skill sings enthusiastically to his only source of inspiration, his loved lady.
He suffered from insanity.

ALONSO DE TAMARIZ

The son of Mr Jeronimo de Carmona Tamariz and Mrs Ana de Torres was born in Ecija in 1578.
Because of his reputation as consummate theologian, the author of the St. Thomas School History said about him that “He penetrated into the Evangelic Doctor and his great expositor Cardinal Cayetano’s work, he learnt Canonical Law, the Sacred Bible and Its glosses and thus became this town’s oracle”.

DIEGO VÉLEZ DE GUEVARA

The son of Mr Diego Velez de Duenas and Mrs Francisca Negrete y Santander was born in Ecija and was christened at St. John the Baptist’s Parish church on March the 17th of 1586.

LUIS VÉLEZ DE GUEVARA

The eminent writer was born in Ecija in 1579.
He published “El Diablo Cojuelo” (The Lame Devil) in 1641
The author Mr Perez de Montalban wrote on his “Para todos” – published in 1632- that Mr Velez de Guevara had written more than 400 comedies.
Their rich inventiveness, their ample variety of plots and their extraordinary scenic devices characterize the plays by Luis Velez de Guevara.
His comedies merit is demonstrated not only because the public applause and good critics but also the imitation of eminent authors.
One of his works, “El Pleito del Diablo” (The Devil’s Lawsuit), written together with Rojas and Mira de Mescua, was forbidden by Spanish Inquisition.
We have to admire in Mr Velez de Guevara work, as the author of so many dramatic works, his originality, his easy inventive, the fair interpretation of the national spirit and the singular way in which he approached historic drama, in a better way than his contemporaneous.
The novel El Diablo Cojuelo (The Lame Devil) may be the most lively and spicy among all the satyrs written in prose of Modern Spanish Literature.
Its argumentative originality and skill of performance place this work at the head of the XVIIth century novels and make it be considered by its own rights one of Spanish Literature’s jewels. 

• Authors from the XVIIth century

ANTONIO COLMENERO DE LEDESMA

He was born in Ecija en 1583.
He graduated as physician and practised in Ecija where he wrote “Apologia Chirurgica”.
Later he travelled to America.
In 1585 the first load of cocoa arrives to Spain, starting from this moment the habit of consuming chocolate.
But it had to overcome from these very first moments the barriers imposed by the fear to exotics and the ones imposed by Medicine, as they were unknown ingredients.
Because of this, Colmenero dedicates half of his work to analyze chocolate from a medical perspective to demonstrate -even against some colleagues of him that the new drink was “healthy and good”.

He is known as the first author who wrote about chocolate in Spain with the title “Curioso Tratado de la Naturaleza y Calidad del Chocolate” (A Curious Treatise On Nature And Quality Of Chocolate).
The true interest of Colmenero’s book, especially for chocolate lovers, is everything he said about cocoa cultivating and the different ways to prepare good chocolate.
Many things have been written on chocolate spreading in the European Courts through the noble people, but Colmenero’s book translations to several languages demonstrate the importance of his contribution.
If you wish to learn more about chocolate and it’s spreading along Europe, you may consult the Minutes of the VIth Congress of History “Ecija y el Nuevo Mundo” (Ecija and the New World).

• Authors from the XVIIIth century

RAFAEL MARIA DE AGUILAR

This Ecijan figure is undoubtedly linked to Philippines Islands development and History in the transition from the XVIIIth to the XIXth centuries. 
He was the Islands Governor from 1793 to 1806.
He paid attention not only to economic, military and political affairs but also to city planning and public health and hygiene matters according the Enlightenment ideology. 
He founded Nueva Ecija province in one of the archipelago islands. 
He carried out many improvements in Manila.

FRANCISCO DÍAZ

He was born in Ecija en 1713.
He was presbyter and martyr; his day is celebrated on October the 29th.
He took his Holy St. Dominic Orders at his native town’s convent in 1730.
He volunteered as missionary and once he was ordained a priest, he travelled to Manila, Macao and China.
Christian propaganda in China was illegal, so he had to survive as an intruder.

In 1746 he was denounced and taken prisoner together with Dominic Father from Granada Francisco Serrano.
He was interrogated and tortured until December of the same year when he was condemned to death and his sentence was carved on his face.
On October the 28th of 1748 he was strangled in prison together with Father Serrano and another missionaries. 

Pope Leo XIII beatified him on April the 18th of 1893.

• Authors from the XIXth century

RAFAEL ARIZA ESPEJO

He was born in Ecija on February the 25th of 1826.
He studied Humanities.
In 1848 he graduated as Medical Doctor and became the first surgeon of Seville’s Hospital.
He was member of several scientific and literary corporations and learnt some languages.
He became Professor of Histology at the Free School of Medicine of Seville.
He wrote many works about medical literature, Histology, Pathology and Larynx Diseases.

JOSÉ MARÍA GARAY Y CONDE

He was born and died in Ecija in the XIXth century.
We only know one of his works print in Ecija in 1851 and titled “Breves apuntes historico-descriptivos de la ciudad de Ecija” (Brief Historic-Descriptive Notes About Ecija Town) where we can appreciate his focus on Ecija’s Antiquity.
Ecijan Town Hall granted him a Street with his name.
We have no more biographic data about this author.

JOSÉ GILES Y RUBIO

He was born in Ecija on August the 12th of 1850.
His father was the famous veterinary Mr Jose Maria Giles.
He studied Philosophy at Seville’s University where later he became Professor.
He wrote many poems and literary critic articles when he was young.

JOSÉ MÁS Y LAGLERA

He was born in Ecija on June the 6th of 1885, son of famous poet Benito Mas y Prat; he became an orphan very soon and resigned himself to find his future as a merchant.
He wrote tales and stories that were published at the best newspapers of his time.

BENITO MAS Y PRAT

He was born in Ecija on October the 7th of 1846.
His first book was published at his natal town and was titled “Brisas del Genil” (Genil Breezes), a collection of beautiful poems where the future inspiration source of the author started to appear.  
He moved to Seville and published his second poems book, “Hojas Secas” (Dried Leaves) in 1872.
Later his third collection of verses titled “Nocturnos” (Nocturnes) was launched.
His last verse work was the triplets poem “Idea de Dios” (Idea of God) where he felt more catholic in verse than in prose.
He also wrote plays, prose works and edited the newspaper “El Eco de Andalucia”.
This superb writer was on a par with the best poets of his generation, surpassing most of them and there is no contemporary writer with a deeper personal stamp on his inspiration and style.

MANUEL OSTOS OSTOS

He was born in Ecija on July the 28th of 1867 at number 20 of Calzada Street and died in the same town on June the 28th of 1914.
He became Public Prosecutor.
He was a politician that practised in several parties and finally was appointed as Town Council Secretary, position he held until his death. He was also appointed as the town’s Official Historian.
He wrote humorous articles for local newspapers La Opinion Astigitana, El Comercio Ecijano and Nueva Ecija and for other ones from Seville and Madrid.
These articles were sometimes signed with different pen names.

JOAQUIN FRANCISCO PACHECO

He was born in Ecija 1808.
He studied Laws at Seville’s University.
He was an eminent lawyer, public man and a notable speaker because of his serene discernment, his words’ pausing and elegance and his deep knowledge of Spanish Criminal Laws.
Once he finished his brilliant career, he moved to Madrid where he practised as a lawyer and wrote many books related to his career.
In 1837 he was elected as a member of Spanish parliament (Diputado del Congreso) and from then up to his death, in 1865, his political career was marked with glory and great triumphs.
He was a member of the Royal Spanish Academies of History, of San Fernando and of Moral and Politic Sciences.
His work appears at the Authorities’ Catalogue of Spanish Language.

• Authors from the XXth century
  
  

TOMÁS BEVÍA ARANDA

He was born in Andujar (Jaen) on July the 4th of 1907.
He got the position of National Teacher through competitive examination and was a graduate in Philosophy of Comillas University (Santander), graduate in Philosophy (History Department) through Barcelona’s University, School Headmaster through competitive examination, number 1 of the 14th Promotion of Infantry Lieutenants of Spanish Republic Army, Numerary French Professor of Laboral Institute “Luis Velez de Guevara” from Ecija and Numerary Member of the Academy of Sciences, Art and Good Letters “Luis Velez de Guevara” from Ecija.
Furthermore he is:
- Corresponding Member of the Petropolitan Academy of Letters from Petropolis (Brazil).
- Honorific Member of the Societé de Poétes et Escrivains Regionalistes from Montargis (France).
- Golden Medal (Merit) granted by the IBA from Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Member of the Confederation of Chivabey from Sydney (Australia).
- Announcer of Ecijan Holy Week in the year 1971.
- Member of the World Association of Writers from Leon (Spain).
- Adopted Son of Ecija.
- Titular of the Municipal Library of Ecija.
Tomas Bevia, from Andujar by birth and from Ecija by adoption, is characterized by his poems joviality, developing a rather personal style where lyrism, neatness and proparoxytones musicality become basic, impregnating all his poetry with an amazing symbolism only understood by knowing of the great dominance of the language owned by this author.
Among his published poetry books we can outstand:
- “El Octavo Nino”
- “Violetas”
- “Cacharros”
- “Ventana Azul”
- “En un planeta que olvido las rosas”
- “Leccion de Griego”. Magazine Mandos Award.
- “El Rojo que tenia la Hostia Blanca”. Editorial “Comunicacion Literaria de Autores” Award, Bilbao.
Another works are:
- “Dimension Internacional de Luis Velez de Guevara” Friends of Ecija Association Award.
- “Superestrellas ecijanas” Friends of Ecija Association Award.
- “Vision Poetica de Astigi” Paper presented at the Ist Congreso on Ecija History.
- “Tourist Guide of Ecija” (2nd Edition).
- “Abri mi corazon de par en par. Antologia total” ( Ecija, 1991)