Luis Vélez de Guevara

Luis Vélez de Guevara, born on the first of August in the year fifteen seventy-nine, emerged as a prominent figure in Spanish literature, known for his multifaceted talents as a poet, writer, playwright, and soldier. Hailing from Écija and of Jewish converso descent, he embarked on his academic journey at the University of Osuna, where he graduated as a sizar in fifteen ninety-six.

Following his education, Vélez de Guevara joined the household of Rodrigo de Castro, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Seville. His early literary contributions included a poem celebrating the marriage of Philip III, which he signed as Vélez de Santander, a pseudonym he maintained for several years. His adventurous spirit led him to serve as a soldier in Italy and Algiers before returning to Spain in sixteen hundred, where he entered the service of the Count de Saldaña and devoted himself to the theatrical arts.

Throughout his prolific career, Vélez de Guevara authored over four hundred plays, with notable works including 'Reinar después de morir', 'La luna de la sierra', and 'El diablo está en Cantillana'. Among his most celebrated creations is 'El diablo cojuelo', published in sixteen forty-one, a fantastic novel that inspired Alain-René Lesage's 'Le Diable boiteux'. The narrative follows a mischievous student who liberates a devil from a bottle, leading to a whimsical exploration of Madrid's hidden lives and the follies of its inhabitants.

Vélez de Guevara's literary legacy extends beyond his plays and novels; his work has been referenced by notable authors, including Charles Dickens in 'The Old Curiosity Shop'. He passed away in Madrid on the tenth of November in the year sixteen forty-four, leaving behind a rich tapestry of theatrical and narrative contributions that continue to resonate in the world of literature.