Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Excelentísimo Señor Don
Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Prime Minister of the Government of the Spanish Republic in exile | |
| In office 28 February 1962 – 28 February 1971 |
|
| President | Luis Jiménez de Asúa |
| Preceded by | Emilio Herrera Linares |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Valera Aparicio |
| Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 12 September 1933 – 16 December 1933 |
|
| President | Niceto Alcalá-Zamora |
| Prime Minister | Alejandro Lerroux Diego Martínez Barrio |
| Preceded by | Fernando de los Ríos |
| Succeeded by | Leandro Pita |
| Spanish Ambassador to Portugal | |
| In office 9 April 1936 – 1 December 1936 |
|
| President | Manuel Azaña |
| Prime Minister |
List
Manuel Azaña Augusto Barcía Trelles Santiago Casares Quiroga Diego Martínez Barrio José Giral Francisco Largo Caballero |
| Foreign Minister | |
| Preceded by | José Juncal Verdulla |
| Succeeded by | Nicolás Franco |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz y Menduiña
7 April 1893 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | 8 July 1984 (aged 91) Ávila, Spain |
| Resting place | Ávila Cathedral |
| Political party | Republican Union Republican Left |
| Children | Nicolás Sánchez-Albornoz |
| Awards | Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (1983) Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities (1984) |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Central University of Madrid |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions |
List
Central University of Madrid Real Academia de la Historia National University of Cuyo University of Buenos Aires University of Valladolid University of Valencia University of Barcelona |
| Main interests | History |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz y Menduiña (born April 7, 1893, in Madrid – died July 8, 1984, in Ávila) was an important Spanish historian, politician, and speaker. He was known for his deep knowledge of medieval Spanish history. He also served as the Prime Minister of the Spanish Republic's government in exile during the time Francisco Franco was in power in Spain.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz was born in Madrid. His family was well-known in politics, especially from the city of Ávila. He studied at the Central University of Madrid. In 1913, he earned a degree in letters and philosophy with top honors.
Becoming a History Expert
Just one year later, at age 21, he received his doctorate degree in history. His main focus was the history of the Spanish kingdoms from the 8th to the 13th centuries. He quickly became a leading young expert on medieval Spanish history. He was especially interested in how the monarchy and royal rules developed in the early Middle Ages.
By 1920, Sánchez-Albornoz had already taught at several important universities. He then took over a special teaching position in Spanish medieval history in Madrid. In 1926, he became the youngest person ever to join the Real Academia de la Historia, a very important group for scholars.
Role in Government
In 1931, he became the head of the Philosophy and Letters department at his university. The next year, he was the rector (like the president) of the Central University. During this time, he took a break from his studies to join the new government. He served in the Spanish Parliament as a representative for Ávila. He also held other important jobs, including Minister of Education.
Life in Exile
When the Spanish Civil War began, Sánchez-Albornoz was made Spain's ambassador to Portugal. But the Portuguese government supported Francisco Franco, so he lost his job. He and his family had to leave Spain. They first went to France and then, in 1940, to Argentina. He lived there for over 40 years. During this time, he continued his work as a historian and led the movement against Franco's rule from outside Spain.
Academic Work in Argentina
After a short time at the University of Cuyo, Sánchez-Albornoz got a job at the University of Buenos Aires. There, he started a center for studying medieval Spain. He also created a history magazine called Cuadernos de historia de España. He was very busy during these years. He wrote many books about early Spanish history. He also taught young historians from Argentina and other Latin American countries. He showed them how to study old documents and legal texts.
For Sánchez-Albornoz, understanding Spain's past was connected to his political beliefs. He wanted to help bring back the democratic Spanish government he had supported in the 1930s.
Leading the Government in Exile
From 1962 to 1970, Sánchez-Albornoz was the president of the Spanish Republican government in exile. He used his fame and invitations to speak around the world. He spoke about bringing democracy back to Spain. Even when Franco offered forgiveness to his critics in 1969, Sánchez-Albornoz refused to return. He said he would not go back until the dictator had died.
Ideas on Spanish History
Sánchez-Albornoz's studies focused on the Kingdoms of Castile and León. He looked at how social and economic systems changed because of outside influences. These included Germanic groups like the Visigothics and Muslim/Arab cultures. In his big three-volume book, En torno a los origines del feudalismo (1942), he highlighted how the Visigothic culture and laws shaped early Spanish history. He especially looked at the monarchy and its ties to the nobles and other parts of society.
He also pointed out that during the Reconquista, many free farmers appeared in Spain's frontier regions. This made the development of serfdom (where farmers were tied to the land) and strict social classes different in Spain compared to other parts of feudal Europe. Sánchez-Albornoz believed that the Visigothic invasions in the 5th century created a unique Spanish civilization. He thought this defined Spanish history and its people from then on, even during the centuries of Arab rule.
Debate with Américo Castro
Sánchez-Albornoz's strong belief in a unique Spanish identity led to a famous academic disagreement. This was with another scholar in exile, Américo Castro. Castro had moved to the United States and taught at Princeton University.
Different Views on Spanish Culture
Castro's important book, España en su historia (1948), suggested that "Spanish" culture was a mix. He believed it was created over centuries by Christians, Muslims, and Jewish people living together. Castro used the term "convivencia", which means "living together" or "coexistence". He used it to describe the diverse and dynamic society of medieval Spain. He saw it as a time of religious tolerance.
Sánchez-Albornoz thought Castro's methods were not strict enough for historical study. He replied with his own study, España: un enigma histórico (1956). He argued that a Spanish culture and identity existed before the Arab influence. He believed this identity was based on old legal, political, and economic systems. While he agreed that Muslims and Jews were important in medieval Spain, he felt they did not contribute much to the main history or state-building. He insisted on a lasting idea of Spanish nationhood and identity. He thought this identity went beyond temporary outside influences.
Today, most historians do not fully agree with Sánchez-Albornoz's idea of a fixed Spanish "character" that drives history. However, there is still a lively debate among scholars about "convivencia" as a way to understand medieval Spain.
Later Life and Legacy
In April 1976, six months after Franco died, Sánchez-Albornoz returned to Spain. It was his first time back in over 40 years. He received a hero's welcome, especially in his family's hometown of Ávila. On March 2, 1983, he received a very high honor, the Gran Cruz de la Real y Muy Distinguida Orden de Carlos III. He went back to Buenos Aires for a short time. But in July 1983, he moved back to Ávila for good.
He passed away one year later, on July 8, 1984, at the age of 91, in Ávila. He was buried in the Cathedral of Ávila. A month before he died, he received the Premio Príncipe de Asturias de Comunicación y Humanidades, another important award.
His Lasting Impact
The Fundación D. Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz [1] was started in Ávila shortly after his death. Its goal is to keep his scholarly work alive and promote it.
During his long career, Sánchez-Albornoz received many awards and honorary degrees from institutions and countries worldwide. He was also a member of many important scholarly groups [2].
Sánchez-Albornoz was survived by his two daughters and a son, Nicolás (born 1926). Nicolás also became a famous historian, specializing in the population history of Latin America. He wrote the book La población de América Latina (1973).
Images for kids
-
Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz's signature
See also
In Spanish: Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz para niños
