Miguel de Barrios facts for kids

Miguel Barrios, also known as Daniel Levi de Barrios, was a famous poet and historian. He lived from about 1625 to 1701. Miguel was born in Montilla, Spain, and later moved to Amsterdam, where he joined the Jewish community there. His family, called "conversos," had a Jewish background but had to hide their faith in Spain. His parents were Simon de Barrios and Sarah Valle.

Escaping Danger and Travels

To escape danger from the Spanish Inquisition, Miguel's father, Simon, first went to Portugal. He stayed in places like Marialva and Villa-Flor. But he still didn't feel safe, so he moved to Algeria.

Miguel himself traveled to Italy. He lived for a while in Nice, France, where his aunt lived. Then he spent more time in Livorno, Italy. Here, another one of his father's sisters convinced him to openly declare himself a Jew.

Soon after, he married Deborah Vaez. In 1660, he decided to leave Europe. He sailed with 152 other people to the West Indies. Sadly, his young wife died shortly after they arrived in Tobago. Miguel then returned to Europe, going to Brussels.

Life as a Soldier

In Brussels, Miguel de Barrios joined the Spanish army. He spent several years there and met many Spanish and Portuguese knights. He quickly became a captain.

During this time, he wrote some of his most famous works. These included a poetry book called "Flor de Apolo" and his plays. He also wrote "Coro de las Musas," which praised the rulers and big cities of Europe like Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, London, Rome, and Amsterdam.

He also planned a very big poetry project about the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). It was meant to have twelve parts, each dedicated to a European ruler. He wanted to call it "Imperio de Dios" or "Harmonia del Mundo." Some rulers even sent him their pictures and family histories. However, the leaders and rabbis of the Amsterdam Jewish community did not approve the book. They worried it might not respect God's law.

Later Life in Amsterdam

In 1674, De Barrios left the Spanish army and moved back to Amsterdam. He became a follower of Sabbatai Zevi, who many believed was the Messiah. Miguel strongly thought the Messiah would appear on the Jewish New Year in 1675.

Before that New Year, he became very ill. He fasted for four days and refused to eat, becoming very weak. A respected Rabbi, Jacob Sasportas, helped him. The Rabbi convinced him to eat and slowly regain his strength.

Miguel de Barrios remained poor throughout his life. To support his family, he often wrote poems and small works praising wealthy Spanish-Portuguese Jews. He would write for special occasions, both happy and sad. His writings are often the only way we know about the scholars and Jewish schools of his time. However, sometimes the information he gave was not always correct.

He was buried in the Amsterdam cemetery next to his second wife, Abigail. He had married Abigail in 1662, and she passed away in 1686. He wrote his own epitaph (words for his tombstone) in Spanish:

"Ya Daniel y Abigail Levi ajuntarse bolvieron. Por un Amor en las Almas, Por una losa en los cuerpos. Porque tanto en la vida se quisieron Que aun despues de la muerte un vivir fueron."

This means: "Daniel and Abigail Levi have here become united again. Love joined their souls; a stone now joins their remains. So deeply they loved each other in life that even after death they shall be one."

His Writings

De Barrios was one of the most productive writers among the Spanish-Portuguese Jews of his time. Almost every year, he published new works. Some of his most important books include:

• Flor de Apolo: This book contained poems, sonnets, and three comedies. It was published in Brussels in 1663.
• Contra la Verdad no ay Fuerca: Published in Amsterdam (1665–1667), this was a tribute to Abraham Athias, Jacob Rodrigues Caseres, and Rachel Nuñez Fernandez.
• Coro de las Musas: This work had nine parts and was published in Brussels in 1672.
• Imperio de Dios en la Harmonia del Mundo: Published in Brussels (1670–1674).
• Triumpho Cesareo en la Descripcion Universal de Panonia, y de la Conquista de la Ciudad de Buda: This celebrated the capture of Budapest by the Habsburgs from the Ottoman Empire. It was published in Amsterdam in 1687.
• Other works include Sol de la Vida (1673), Mediar Estremos, Decada Primera en Ros Hasana (1677), Metros Nobles, Dios con Nos Otros (1688), Historia Real de la Gran Bretaña (1688), and Arbol de la Vida con Raizes de la Ley (1689).

He also wrote many smaller literary and biographical works. Two important ones are "Relacion de los Poetas, y Escriptores Españoles de la Nacion Judayca" and "Hetz Jaim (Hayyim), Arbol de las Vidas." These tell us about the scholars in Amsterdam. His very last work was titled "Piedra Derribadora de la Sonjada Estatua Desde el Año de 1689 al de 1700."

See also

In Spanish: Miguel de Barrios para niños