Gómez Manrique

Gómez Manrique (c. 1412 - c. 1490) was a Spanish poet, soldier, politician and dramatist born in Amusco. The fifth son of Pedro Manrique, adelantado mayor of Leon. Gómez Manrique was introduced into public life at an early age, took a prominent part against the constable Alvaro de Luna during the reign of John II, went into opposition against Miguel Lucas de Iranzo in the reign of Henry IV, and declared in favor of the infanta Isabel, whose marriage with Ferdinand he promoted. Besides being a distinguished soldier, he acted as a moderating political influence and, when appointed corregidor of Toledo, was active in protecting the converted Jews from popular resentment. His will was signed on the 31st of May 1490, and he is known to have died before the 16th of February 1491. He inherited the literary taste of his uncle Santillana, and was greatly esteemed in his own age; but his reputation was afterwards eclipsed by that of his nephew Jorge Manrique, whose "Coplas por la muerte de su padre" were continually reproduced. Gómez Manrique's poems were not printed until 1885, when, they were edited by Antonio Paz y Melia. They at once revealed him to be a poet of eminent merit, and it seems certain that his "Consejos", addressed to Diego Arias de Avila, inspired the more famous "Coplas" of his nephew. His didactic verses are modelled upon those of Santillana. He wrote the "Representación del nascimiento de Nuestro Senor", a play on the Passion, and two momos, or interludes, played at court, and a large number of poems.

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