José de la Canal facts for kids

José de la Canal (born January 11, 1768 – died April 17, 1845) was an important Spanish historian. He focused on the history of the Church in Spain. He was also a friar, which is a type of monk, belonging to the Augustinian Order.

Early Life and Education

José de la Canal was born in 1768 in Ucieda, a small village in Cantabria, Spain. His family was not wealthy. His uncle, who was an Augustinian friar, helped him get an education.

José studied at religious schools in Burgos. In 1785, he officially joined the Augustinian Order. Later, he became a professor of philosophy, teaching about ideas and knowledge. He taught first in Salamanca and then in Burgos.

A Life of Learning

After teaching, José de la Canal became a librarian at the University of Salamanca. He worked there from 1789 to 1800. After spending four years in Toledo, he moved to Madrid. In Madrid, he taught philosophy at the College of San Isidro.

He wrote some articles for a newspaper called El Universal. Because this paper had liberal ideas, King Ferdinand VII had José de la Canal confined for a year. He stayed in a convent near Ávila during this time.

Continuing España Sagrada

After his confinement, José de la Canal returned to Madrid. The King chose him and another Augustinian friar, Antolin Merino, for a very important task. They were to continue a huge historical project called España Sagrada (Holy Spain).

This project had started in 1743 and already had 42 volumes. It was a valuable collection of documents and research about the history of the Church in Spain. It covered the founding of Spanish dioceses (church areas), the leaders of the Church, important monasteries, and other interesting facts. José de la Canal dedicated himself to this work.

Research and Publications

To gather information for España Sagrada, José de la Canal traveled to Catalonia. He worked in the old archives of Barcelona and Girona.

• In 1819, he published volumes 43 and 44 of España Sagrada with Father Merino.
• From 1826 to 1832, he published volumes 45 and 46 by himself. These volumes focused on the churches and monasteries in the diocese of Girona. They included many new documents and important research.

José de la Canal also wrote a book about his collaborator, Father Antolin Merino. It was called Ensayo histórico de la vida literaria del Maestro Fr. Antolin Merino (Historical Essay on the Literary Life of Master Friar Antolin Merino). He also published a new, larger edition of Clave historial (Key to History) by Father Flórez. He also wrote a Manual del Santo Sacrificio de la Misa (Manual of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass).

He translated many theological and historical books from French. He was also a member of several important academies, including:

• The Royal Academy of History
• The Academy of Natural Science of Madrid
• The Academy of Belles-Lettres of Barcelona
• The Antiquarian Society of Normandy

Later Life and Legacy

People said that Father Canal was very kind and generous to the poor. In 1836, he was offered the position of Bishop of Girona. However, he refused, even though Queen Isabella II asked him to accept. He said he was too old and not healthy enough. He believed he could serve God and his country better by continuing his historical research.

José de la Canal died in Madrid in 1845.

Sources

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  "José de la Canal". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton. 

See also

In Spanish: José de la Canal para niños