Juan González de Mendoza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Most Reverend Juan González de Mendoza |
|
|---|---|
| Bishop of Popayán | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Diocese of Popayán |
| In Office | 1608–1618 |
| Predecessor | Juan de La Roca |
| Successor | Ambrosio Vallejo Mejía |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 7 June 1593 by Filippo Spinola |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1545 Torrecilla en Cameros (La Rioja (Spain)) |
| Died | 14 February 1618 (aged 72–73) Popayán, Colombia |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Bishop, explorer, sinologist, writer |
| Previous post | Bishop of Lipari (1593–1599) Bishop of Chiapas (1607–1608) |
Juan González de Mendoza (born 1545 – died 14 February 1618) was a Spanish bishop, explorer, and writer. He was also a sinologist, which means he studied China. He is famous for writing one of the first Western history books about China.
His book, published in 1585, was called Historia de las cosas más notables, ritos y costumbres del gran reyno de la China. This translates to The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China. It shared observations from several Spanish travelers who visited China. An English version of his book came out in 1588.
Later, in 1615, more detailed books about China were written. These were by Jesuit missionaries like Matteo Ricci and Nicolas Trigault. They had actually lived in China and knew much more. Some parts of González de Mendoza's book were copied from an earlier work by Bernardino de Escalante.
Contents
Life and Work of Juan González de Mendoza
Juan González de Mendoza was born in 1545 in Torrecilla en Cameros, a town in La Rioja (Spain). He first joined the army. After some years, he decided to leave the army and become a friar in the Order of Saint Augustine.
His Famous Book About China
His most famous book, Historia de las cosas más notables, ritos y costumbres del gran reyno de la China, was published in 1585. This book was mainly based on the travel journals of Miguel de Luarca. Miguel de Luarca had traveled to Ming China in 1580.
It's important to know that Juan González de Mendoza himself never went to China. He spent two years living in Mexico before he returned to Spain.
Becoming a Bishop
On 31 May 1593, during the time of Pope Clement VIII, Juan González de Mendoza was chosen to be the Bishop of Lipari. Lipari is an island in Italy. A week later, on 7 June 1593, he was officially made a bishop. This ceremony was led by Filippo Spinola, a high-ranking church official.
He served as Bishop of Lipari for several years. On 24 May 1599, he decided to step down from this role.
Later, on 7 May 1607, during the time of Pope Paul V, he was appointed as the Bishop of Chiapas. Chiapas is a region in Mexico.
Then, on 17 November 1608, Pope Paul V appointed him again. This time, he became the Bishop of Popayán. Popayán is a city in Colombia. He served as the Bishop of Popayán until he passed away on 14 February 1618.
See also
In Spanish: Juan González de Mendoza para niños
