Justo Sierra O'Reilly facts for kids
Justo Sierra O'Reilly was an important Mexican writer and historian. He was born in 1814 in a place called Tixcacal-Tuyú, in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. He passed away in 1861 in Mérida, Yucatán.
Justo Sierra O'Reilly was the father of another famous Mexican writer and political leader, Justo Sierra Méndez. He is best known for his novels and for writing about the history of Yucatán.
Contents
Early Life and Important Times
Justo Sierra O'Reilly grew up in Yucatán, a southeastern state in Mexico. His father-in-law, Santiago Méndez Ibarra, became the governor of Yucatán in 1847. This was a very busy and difficult time for Mexico.
Wars and Negotiations
In 1847, Mexico was fighting the Mexican–American War with the United States. At the same time, a big conflict called the Caste War of Yucatán began. This was a war between the native Maya people and others in Yucatán. Yucatán decided to stay neutral in the war with the U.S.
Justo Sierra O'Reilly traveled to the United States in September 1847. He went there to ask for help for Yucatán. The Maya rebels were very strong, and it looked like they might take over the entire Yucatán peninsula. He even offered the idea of Yucatán joining the United States to get military help.
However, his efforts did not work out. When he returned home in 1848, the war with the U.S. was over. Mexico had lost a large part of its northern land. But Mexico and Yucatán had also settled their disagreements. This meant his father-in-law was no longer governor, and Justo Sierra O'Reilly did not have a government job.
Becoming a Writer
At 34 years old, Justo Sierra O'Reilly decided to focus on writing. He started a newspaper in Campeche called El Fénix. In this newspaper, he published parts of his popular novel, La Hija del Judío (The Daughter of the Jew).
His Famous Books
La Hija del Judío was a historical novel, similar to the style of Sir Walter Scott. It told a romantic story about the daughter of a Jewish merchant in colonial Mexico. When the book was later published, it sold very well across Latin America.
He wrote other interesting books too:
- El Filibustero – a novel about pirates.
- Impresiones de un viaje a los Estados Unidos de América y al Canadá (1851) – a travel journal about his trips to the United States and Canada.
He also wrote many works about the history of Yucatán, such as Teogonía de los antiguos indios (The Gods of the Ancient Indians) and Importancia de un Museo de Antigüedades (The Importance of an Antiquities Museum). He even translated books by John Lloyd Stephens about Yucatán from English into Spanish.
See also
- Mexican literature
- Caste War
Sources
- Breve historia de Campeche by Carlos Justo Sierra
- "Un James Bond Novohispano" from Revista Conciencia Online, Año 2, Número 7, noviembre de 2001
