Mariana de Carvajal y Saavedra facts for kids

Mariana de Carvajal y Saavedra (born 1620, died 1670) was an important Spanish writer. She lived during a special time in Spanish history called the Spanish Golden Age, when art and literature really shined.

About Mariana's Life

Mariana de Carvajal y Piédrola was born in a city called Jaén. She spent her younger years in Granada. There, she married Baltasar Mateo de Velázquez. He was a military man and also a mayor in the Royal Chancery of Granada, which was like a high-ranking official job.

Later, Mariana and her husband moved to Madrid, the capital city. We know that by 1663, she had written 12 comedies, which are plays meant to be funny. Sadly, these plays have been lost over time. Some of her stories, called novels, are set in the city of Úbeda. Her style of writing is known as the "courtly novel." This means her stories often focused on noble characters and their adventures or romances.

Her Books and Stories

Mariana de Carvajal y Saavedra wrote several works that are still known today. Here are some of them:

• La industria vence desdenes (This title means "Hard work overcomes disdain" or "Effort conquers scorn.")
• La dicha de Dositea (This means "The happiness of Dositea.")
• Navidades de Madrid y noches entretenidas (Madrid, 1663). This is a very famous work. It means "Christmases in Madrid and Entertaining Nights." It's actually a collection of eight different novels all put together in one book.