Silvestre de Balboa facts for kids
Silvestre de Balboa Troya Quesada (born June 30, 1563 – died around 1644) was a writer from the Canary Islands. He is famous for writing what is considered the very first literary work in Cuba.
Not much is known about his early life. We know he was baptized in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on June 30, 1563. He was from a noble family. Records show he arrived in Cuba sometime between 1590 and 1600.
By 1604, he was in the city of Manzanillo. Later, he moved to a village called Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe. This area is now known as Camagüey. There, he became a clerk for the local council.
Silvestre de Balboa's Work
Silvestre de Balboa's most important work is a poem called Espejo de paciencia. This poem was hidden for a long time. It even survived a big fire that destroyed the town in 1616.
The poem was found much later in 1836. Jose Antonio Echeverria discovered the old manuscripts. They were in poor condition and mixed with other papers. The poem was first published in parts in 1838. It appeared in a newspaper called El Plantel. Later, the full poem was published for the first time. This happened in the second edition of a book about Cuban writings.
About Espejo de paciencia
Espejo de paciencia is seen as Cuba's first true literary work. It tells a real historical story. In 1604, the bishop of Cuba, Don Juan de las Cabezas Altamirano, was captured. A French pirate named Gilberto Giron took him in Manzanillo port.
The poem describes how the local villagers rescued the bishop. They were led by a man named Gregorio Ramos. It also tells how the pirate was killed by a slave named Salvador Golomon.
Balboa was a well-trained writer. His poem shows the influence of other Canary poets. These included Bartolomé Cairasco de Figueroa and Antonio de Viana.
When Did Silvestre de Balboa Die?
We don't know the exact date Silvestre de Balboa died. However, a document from 1644 gives us a clue. It states that Catalina de la Coba and Consuegra, who was his wife, made a will. She was described as a "widow" in this document.
This means Silvestre de Balboa must have passed away in 1644 or perhaps in 1643.
