Pascual de Gayangos y Arce facts for kids
Pascual de Gayangos y Arce (born June 21, 1809 – died October 4, 1897) was an important Spanish scholar. He was known as an orientalist, which means he studied the languages, cultures, and history of Eastern countries, especially those in the Middle East.
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Early Life and Education
Pascual de Gayangos was born in Seville, Spain. His father, José de Gayangos, was a high-ranking officer in the Spanish government who worked in New Spain (which is now Mexico).
When Pascual was thirteen, he went to school in Pontlevoy, a town near Blois, France. There, he began to study the Arabic language at a special school in Paris. His teacher was a famous scholar named Silvestre de Sacy.
Career and Achievements
After his studies, Gayangos visited Britain. In 1828, he married Frances Revell there. Later, he got a job in the Spanish government, first in the treasury, and then as a translator for the foreign office in 1833.
Working in Britain
In 1837, Gayangos went back to Britain. He wrote many articles for British magazines like The Athenaeum. He also contributed to big encyclopedias such as The Penny Cyclopaedia and The Biographical Dictionary.
During this time, he finished his most important work as an arabist (someone who studies Arabic language and culture). He translated a major book by Ahmed Mohammed al Makkari about the history of Muslim rule in Spain. This translation was called History of the Mohammedan Dynasties in Spain. It was published in two parts in 1840 and 1843. While in England, he also met many important people, including George Ticknor, a well-known American scholar.
Return to Spain
In 1843, Gayangos returned to Spain. He became a professor of Arabic at the University of Madrid. He held this important teaching job until 1871. In 1861, a famous American group called the American Philosophical Society made him an international member.
Later in his life, in 1881, he entered politics. He became the director of public education, which meant he was in charge of schools and learning for the whole country. He later resigned from this role when he was chosen to be a senator for the area of Huelva.
Later Works
In his later years, Gayangos spent a lot of time organizing and listing Spanish old writings (manuscripts) at the British Museum in London. He also continued a project to list manuscripts about the talks between England and Spain found in the Simancas archives.
One of his most famous original works is a long introduction he wrote about Spanish chivalric romances. These were popular stories about knights, heroes, and their adventures. This introduction was published in 1857 and was the first detailed study of these types of Spanish stories.
Pascual de Gayangos died in London in 1897.
See also
In Spanish: Pascual de Gayangos y Arce para niños
