Juan Núñez de la Peña facts for kids

Juan Núñez de la Peña (born May 1641 – died January 3, 1721) was an important Spanish historian. He was born in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, a city in the Canary Islands. He spent his life studying and writing about the history of these islands.

Who Was Juan Núñez de la Peña?

Juan Núñez de la Peña was a Spanish historian. He is best known for writing one of the first detailed histories of the Canary Islands. His work helped to preserve important information about the islands' past.

His Early Life and Studies

Juan Núñez was born in May 1641. He grew up in San Cristóbal de La Laguna. He went to the college of San Agustín de La Laguna. There, he studied Latin and other important subjects called the humanities. After his studies, he became a priest. He also worked for a time as a notary in Toledo before returning to the Canary Islands.

Becoming a Historian

When Juan Núñez returned to the Canary Islands, he started a big project. He began to collect and save many old documents. These included official city records, notary papers, and church documents. By studying these papers, he gathered enough information to write a history of the islands. He wanted to make sure this history would be remembered for a long time.

His Big Book: Conquista y Antigüedades

His most famous work was a book titled Conquista y antigüedades de las islas de la Gran Canaria y su descripción, con muchas advertencias de sus privilegios, conquistadores, pobladores y otras particularidades en la muy poderosa isla de Tenerife, dirigido a la milagrosa imagen de Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. This long title describes what the book is about. It was first published in 1676. A second, updated version came out three years later.

What His Book Was About

In his book, Juan Núñez de la Peña explored many topics. He wrote about the Guanches, who were the native people of the Canary Islands. He also looked into the family histories of the European families who settled on the islands. His book was a very important step in recording the history of the Canary Islands.

How He Was Honored

For his hard work, Juan Núñez de la Peña received special honors. He was given a payment of 200 pesos. He also received an important title. He was named cronista general de los reinos de Castilla y León. This means he was the "General Chronicler" (or historian) for the kingdoms of Castile and León.

His Legacy

Juan Núñez de la Peña's book was the first standard history of the Canary Islands. However, it was later reviewed by another historian. José de Viera y Clavijo, a botanist and priest, wrote his own history in 1783. He offered some criticisms of Núñez de la Peña's earlier work. Still, Núñez de la Peña's book remains a key part of the islands' historical records.

See Also

• Learn more about Juan Núñez de la Peña in Spanish: Juan Núñez de la Peña para niños