Luisa de Medrano
Atienza, the 9th of August 1484. A girl named Luisa de Medrano drew her first breath within the stone walls of a Castilian town. Her father Diego López de Medrano y Vergara held the title of ricohombre, a rich man and Lord of San Gregorio and Cañaveruelas. He served on His Majesty's Council in the Kingdom of Castile. Her mother Magdalena Bravo de Lagunas came from a lineage tracing back to Alonso Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno. The House of Medrano stood as one of the most powerful families in the Sierra de Cameros and Soria. Their flocks included 15,000 sheep grazing across those lands. They walked hundreds of times to pastures in Extremadura or the royal valley of Alcudia. Diego and Magdalena married in 1476. Nine children were born from their union including Luisa. Her maternal grandfather Garcí Bravo de Lagunas died in battle at the Siege of Málaga in 1487. Her father also perished in that same action while serving Queen Isabella. The Catholic Monarchs sent a letter of condolence dated the 7th of June 1487 to Catalina Núñez de Cienfuegos. This document confirmed the deaths of both men who had died fighting against infidels.
Queen Isabella I of Castile became Luisa's greatest protector and patron. This royal backing enabled Luisa to teach Latin at the University of Salamanca by 1508. She received a privileged education alongside royal daughters Isabel and Juana. Living within the court climate allowed her to learn history culture and humanist philosophy. Isabella actively cultivated an environment of tolerance for women scholars before her death. That protective atmosphere disappeared after the Queen passed away. Luisa wrote poems and philosophy though most of her work has been lost. Her brother Luis de Medrano served as rector of Salamanca University from 1507 to 1511. He held the chair left by Antonio de Nebrija in Poetry and Grammar. The Book of the University's Claustro records this family connection spanning over one hundred sixty years. Princes and members of the royal household visited the university to give lectures there. Clemencín noted that echoes of Doña Luisa de Medrano taught in Salamanca while others explained Natural History.
In 1508, twenty-four-year-old Luisa de Medrano took the Chair of Canons at the University of Salamanca. Pedro de Torres recorded this event in the Chronicle Registry of Salamanca on the 16th of November 1513. He stated that the daughter of Medrano lectured in the third hour of the day. This appointment made her widely believed to be the first female professor in Europe teaching Latin. She received the chair originally held by Antonio de Nebrija who was also known as Antonio Martínez de Cala. It remains unknown how long she maintained the post after receiving it in 1508. Her brother Luis had previously served as rector during the academic year 1507-1511. Domingo and García de Medrano y Mendizabal later became rectors in 1669. They were her fourth nephews according to the University Archive. The House of Medrano combined nobility of blood with nobility of spirit for over a century. Princes often gave lectures at the university alongside family members like Luisa.
Lucio Marineo Siculo wrote about Luisa in his work Cosas memorables de España published in Alcalá de Henares in 1530. He misspelled her name as Lucía instead of Luisa but described her as an exceedingly eloquent maiden. Marineo recorded hearing her speak as an orator while reading and interpreting Latin texts publicly. In a letter addressed directly to her he called her his dear and illustrious Clara. He stated that her fame for great studies reached him before he ever saw her. After meeting her personally he found himself even more impressed by her elegance. He claimed she surpassed all Spanish men in eloquence within the Latin language. Bernardo Dorado noted that Doña Luisa exceeded the first scholar Galindo since she knew Latin perfectly. Gil González Dávila wrote that Marineo Siculus heard her teach in the University of Salamanca. He also saw her pray in public and called her a woman of rare and admirable eloquence. Clemencín praised her erudition in Memoirs of the Royal Academy of History from 1821. Menéndez y Pelayo acknowledged her as a professor citing letters from Lucio Marineo.
Emperor Carlos I of Spain attempted to remove memory of women scholars including Luisa de Medrano according to some historians. Charles V censored sections on women in Lucio Marineo Sículo's Cosas memorables de España published in 1530. The suppression extended far beyond just topics about women. Nearly all of Book 22 and everything following it was removed totaling 92 pages. This excision occurred despite the edition carrying notice guaranteeing a ten-year imperial printing privilege. The removal included material concerning popes bishops warriors and men of letters. Oettel notes this scale of intervention indicates major exceptional action had taken place. The 1530 edition carried the notice Cum privilegio Caesareo ad decennium yet still lost nearly half its content. Scholars believe Charles V tried to rid the world of his mother Joanna I and other women like Luisa. The whole of Spain owes you for illuminating it with glory of knowledge according to Marineo. Yet historical records show significant portions of praise were systematically deleted from official texts.
On the 23rd of April 1943 the Ministry of National Education granted that the Instituto de Educación Secundaria be named Instituto Lucía de Medrano. The Rectorate and University of Salamanca agreed in the 12th of October 2015 to name the Hall of Cloisters after her. In 2015 the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Government established the International Award for Gender Equality named Luisa de Medrano. The award grants annually since 2016 recognizes individuals and organizations excelling in defense of equality between women and men. A financial prize of €15,000 accompanies the Entity category subject to current tax regulations. Carmen Calvo and Marcela Lagarde have been honored with this prestigious award. On the 9th of August 2022 Google celebrated Luisa's 538th birthday with a special Doodle. Students organized a commemorative play in 2018 marking the 75th anniversary of the institution. The performance dramatized her life including education at Queen Isabella's court and role as lecturer. The play highlighted her reputation as one of most distinguished female humanists of Renaissance Spain. The German author Otto von Corvin wrote about distinguished ladies studying Greek and Latin in his Weltgeschichte.
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Common questions
When and where was Luisa de Medrano born?
Luisa de Medrano drew her first breath at Atienza on the 9th of August 1484. Her father Diego López de Medrano y Vergara held the title of ricohombre in a Castilian town.
Who appointed Luisa de Medrano as professor at the University of Salamanca?
Queen Isabella I of Castile became Luisa's greatest protector and patron to enable her teaching role. This royal backing allowed Luisa to teach Latin at the University of Salamanca by 1508.
What year did Luisa de Medrano take the Chair of Canons at the University of Salamanca?
Twenty-four-year-old Luisa de Medrano took the Chair of Canons at the University of Salamanca in 1508. Pedro de Torres recorded this event in the Chronicle Registry of Salamanca on the 16th of November 1513.
Why were sections about women scholars removed from Lucio Marineo Siculo's work in 1530?
Emperor Carlos I of Spain attempted to remove memory of women scholars including Luisa de Medrano according to some historians. Charles V censored sections on women in Cosas memorables de España published in 1530 and removed nearly all of Book 22 totaling 92 pages.
When was the International Award for Gender Equality named after Luisa de Medrano established?
In 2015 the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Government established the International Award for Gender Equality named Luisa de Medrano. The award grants annually since 2016 recognizes individuals and organizations excelling in defense of equality between women and men.