Juan José Eguiara y Eguren facts for kids
Juan José Eguiara y Eguren (born February 2, 1696, died January 29, 1763) was an important Mexican scholar and Catholic leader. He was born and died in Mexico City. He wrote a famous book called Bibliotheca mexicana. This book was one of the first of its kind in Mexico. It listed many important writers and their works.
Contents
About Juan José Eguiara y Eguren's Life
Juan José Eguiara y Eguren came from a Basque family. His father was a merchant who moved to Mexico. His mother was born in America, but her family was also Basque.
His Amazing Education
Juan José was a very smart student. He studied hard and earned a high degree called a doctorate in theology. Theology is the study of religious faith and practice. He later became a teacher at the University of Mexico. In 1749, he was chosen to be the rector, which is like the head of the university.
His Many Talents
He knew a lot about many subjects. These included religion, law, philosophy, and math. He was also a very good speaker. Juan José was even chosen to be the Bishop of Yucatán. However, he did not take the job. He said he was not well enough. He stayed in Mexico City and kept working on his books. People say he started the study of ideas in Mexico.
Juan José Eguiara y Eguren's Writings
Juan José Eguiara y Eguren wrote his main book, Biblioteca Mexicana, for a special reason. A man named Manuel Martí from Spain had written things that seemed to criticize scholars from the New World (America). Eguiara y Eguren wanted to show how many great writers Mexico had.
The Biblioteca Mexicana Book
He published the first part of his book in 1755. This part covered writers whose names started with A, B, and C. He also wrote many other biographies that were not published. The book was written in Latin. Even though it was not finished, it was very important. It was the first book of its kind in Mexico. It might even have been the first in all of Spanish America.
Other Works He Published
Besides his famous Biblioteca Mexicana, he wrote other books. These included "Panegiricos" (speeches of praise) and "Elogios fúnebres" (funeral speeches). He also published "Praelectiones" (lectures). He wrote many volumes on religious and legal topics. He also wrote twenty volumes of sermons and other writings.
See also
- Luis Abadiano
