Gil González Dávila (historian) facts for kids

Gil González Dávila (1570–1658) was a Spanish writer and historian. He worked for the Spanish kings, keeping important records and writing down history. He was known for his many books about Spain's past.

Gil González Dávila: A Royal Historian

Gil González Dávila was born and died in a city called Ávila in Spain. He lived a long time ago, in the 16th and 17th centuries. He played an important role in recording the history of his country.

Early Life and Learning

When he was young, Gil lived in Rome, a famous city in Italy. He studied there at the home of a very important church leader, Cardinal Deza. This education helped him become a skilled writer and researcher.

When he was 20 years old, Gil returned to Spain. He settled in a city called Salamanca. This was a time when he started to build his career.

Working for the King

Later, Gil González Dávila was called to Madrid, the capital city of Spain. In 1612, he became a special historian for the Crown of Castile. This meant he was officially in charge of writing down the history of this important part of Spain.

He also became the historian for the "Indies" in 1641. The "Indies" was the name for the lands that Spain had discovered and claimed overseas, like parts of the Americas. His job was to record their history too.

His Important Books

Gil González Dávila wrote many books during his life. Two of his most famous works are:

• Teatro de las Grandezas des Madrid (published in 1623). This book described the important buildings and history of Madrid.
• Teatro Eclesiastico (published between 1645 and 1653). This was a large, four-volume set of books. It described the main churches and cathedrals in Castile. It also told the life stories of the important church leaders.

These books are still valuable today. They help us understand what life was like in Spain many centuries ago.