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Real Academy of History
Native name
Spanish: Real Academia de la Historia
Coat of Arms of the Spanish Royal Academy of History.svg
Real Academia de la Historia (España) 04.jpg
Location Madrid, Spain
Architect Juan de Villanueva
Official name: Real Academia de la Historia
Type Non-movable
Criteria Monument
Designated 1945
Reference no. RI-51-0001170
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The Real Academia de la Historia (RAH), or 'Royal Academy of History', is an important Spanish group in Madrid. Its main job is to study the history of Spain. This includes everything from ancient times to modern days. They look at political history, how people lived, the church, military events, science, and art. Basically, they study all parts of Spanish life and culture.

The academy was started by King Philip V of Spain on April 18, 1738. It was created to help people understand Spain's past better.

The Academy's Home: A Historic Building

Since 1836, the academy has been in an old building in Madrid. This building was designed by a famous architect named Juan de Villanueva. He designed it in the 1700s.

The building was first used by a religious group called the Hieronymites. But in the 1830s, the government took over many church properties. This made the building available for the Royal Academy of History.

What Treasures Does the Academy Hold?

The academy has many important old items and a huge library. These collections are not usually open to the public. They include very old documents and artifacts.

Some of the special items they keep are:

  • The Glosas Emilianenses: These are very old notes written in the margins of a Latin text. They are important because they show some of the earliest words in Spanish.
  • The Códice de Roda: This is an old book from the Middle Ages. It contains important historical records.
  • The San Millán Beatus: This is a beautifully illustrated book from the 10th century. It is a copy of a famous Christian text.
  • The Missorium of Theodosius I: This is a large, fancy silver plate. It was likely made in a city called Constantinople around the year 388. It celebrated 10 years of Emperor Theodosius I's rule. He was the last emperor to rule both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. This plate is a great example of ancient Roman art.

Writing History: The Biographical Dictionary

The academy worked on a huge project called the Diccionario Biográfico Español. This is a dictionary of Spanish biographies. It tells the life stories of many important people from Spain's past.

Creating a National Biography

In 2011, the first 20 books of this dictionary were published. About 5,000 historians helped write it. This project was paid for by the government.

However, the dictionary caused some debate. Some people felt it wasn't always fair or objective. For example, it included entries about people who were still alive. This is different from other famous dictionaries, like the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, which only includes people who have passed away.

Debate Over Historical Figures

One of the biggest arguments was about how the dictionary described Francisco Franco. He was a leader in Spain for many years. The dictionary described him as an "autocratic head of state" instead of a "dictator." Many people, especially those on the left side of politics, disagreed with this. They felt it didn't accurately describe his rule.

There were calls for the dictionary to be changed. The academy later announced that they would make corrections. In 2018, an online version of the dictionary was launched. In this new version, Franco's role as a dictator was confirmed.

Connecting History to Daily Life

In 2015, the academy worked with Madrid Metro, the city's subway system. They put up special signs in subway stations. These signs give information about the people that the stations are named after. For example, you can learn about Concha Espina or Paco de Lucia at their stations.

Protecting Historical Monuments

In 2020, during some protests, statues of historical figures were damaged. This included statues of people like Christopher Columbus. The academy released a statement saying they were sad about these attacks. They said they believe it's important to understand Spain's history fully. They want to make sure history is not changed or used for political reasons.

Who Works at the Academy?

The Royal Academy of History has a maximum of 36 "numbered academics." These people must be Spanish citizens. There are also "academics of honor" and "academic correspondents." These members can be from any country.

Since 2014, the director of the academy has been Carmen Iglesias.

Numbered Academics

Here are some of the current "Numbered Academics" (listed by their chair number):

Real Cédula (17 de junio de 1738)
Royal approval of the first statute of the Real Academia de la Historia on June 17, 1738

See also

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