Juan de Valladolid facts for kids

Juan de Valladolid (English: John of Valladolid) was a famous Castilian poet who lived a long time ago, around the 1400s. He was also known as Juan Poeta, which means "John the poet." He was born Jewish but later chose to become a Christian. People who converted from Judaism to Christianity were called conversos. Juan de Valladolid married a Christian woman named Jamila.

A Life of Travel and Poetry

Juan de Valladolid was born in a city called Valladolid in Spain. He traveled a lot during his life. For some time, he lived in the royal courts of Naples and Milan, which are cities in Italy. In these courts, he worked as an astrologer, someone who studied the stars and planets.

Captured by Pirates

On his way back to Spain, something unexpected happened. Juan de Valladolid was captured by pirates! These pirates took him to a city called Fez, which is in Morocco, North Africa. There were stories that he might have converted to Islam and even married a Moorish woman in Fez.

Becoming a Famous Poet

Eventually, Juan de Valladolid made his way back to Spain. He became very well known as a poet. He even met another important poet of his time, Anton de Montero.

Because many people knew he had changed his religion, other poets often called him "Juan el Judio," meaning "John the Jew." Even with this nickname, he was highly respected. Queen Isabella of Spain thought very highly of him and his work. His poems can be found in many old collections, including a famous one called the Cancionero de Antón de Montoro.

See also

In Spanish: Juan de Valladolid para niños