Benson Latin American CollectionRare Books and
ManuscriptsInventory
Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Collection
Prepared by the Mexican Archives Project
February 9, 1995
Introduction
The Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Collection forms part of the
Genaro García Collection, which was purchased by the University of
Texas in 1921 from the heirs of Genaro García. The collection was
described by the Benson's Mexican Archives Project in January 1994.
The collection's physical extent is three inches. Its materials are
primarily in Spanish, and are also available on microfilm.
The following guide is available in Rare Books Reference:
Castañeda, Carlos E. and Jack Autrey Dabbs, eds., Guide to the
Latin American Manuscripts in the University of Texas Library.
Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1939.
The suggested citation for the collection is "Carlos de Sigüenza y
Góngora Collection, 1686-1704, Benson Latin American Collection,
General Libraries, University of Texas at Austin."
Biographical Sketch
Poet, author, mathematician, historian, geographer. Born 1645 and died
1700 in Mexico City. Entered Society of Jesus 1660, took vows 1662, and
left the order in 1667 or 1669. In 1672 became catedrático of
astrology and mathematics at the University of Mexico. Ordained as
priest in 1673. Chaplain of the Hospital del Amor de Dios from 1682
until his death. Wrote description of June 8, 1692, riot in protest of
corn prices, during which he saved government archives from burning. As
royal geographer Sigüenza participated in a 1692 expedition to
Pensacola Bay; in 1693 he wrote Descripción del seno de Santa
María de Galve, alias Panzacola, de la Mobila y del Río
Misisipi. After a Spanish attempt to colonize Pensacola Bay in 1698
was thwarted by the French, Sigüenza was blamed by expedition leader
Andrés de Arriola for inciting the French action; Sigüenza
successfully defended himself against these charges in 1699. Other
publications of his include: Parayso Occidental ... (1684) and
Piedad heróica de don Hernando Cortés, Marqués del
Valle (1689).
Scope and Contents Note
Manuscript items include Sigüenza's August 30, 1692, account to
Andrés de Pez of the June 8, 1692, corn riot, in which Gaspar de la
Cerda Sandoval Silva y Mendoza, Conde de Galve, figured prominently (G140
Ms., G141Ms., and G142 Ms.); "Documentos relativos a don Carlos de
Sigüenza y Góngora" (G135 Ms.); and "Documentos relativos a don
Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora y su expedición a Pensacola"
(G145 Ms.; consists of photostatic copies from the Dunn Transcripts).
The archives subgroup includes the following literary productions: a
partial manuscript of Piedad de don Fernando Cortés; "Memoria del
Br. Antonio Calderon Benavides"; and "Verdadera relación del fatal
quanto milagrosso succeso de la quemazon de la r. fábrica de la
pólvora el dia 25 de Hen. de 1704."
Chronology
| 1645 | born in Mexico City |
| 20 Aug 1645 | baptized in Cathedral of Mexico
City |
| 17 Aug 1660 | entered Jesuit order as a
novice |
| 15 Aug 1662 | took simple vows at
Tepotzotlán |
| 1662 | published Oriental planeta
evangélica, epopeya sacropanegyrica al apostol grande de las Indias
S. Francisco Xavier ... ; published Primavera indiana, poema
sacrohistórico, idea de María Santíssima de Guadalupe
... |
| 3 Aug 1667 | left Jesuit order (Leonard, 9 Aug
1667; Porrüa, 1669) |
| studied canon law, theology, and some Indian
languages at the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico |
| 1668 | second edition of Primavera indiana
... |
| 1671 | produced an almanac |
| 20 July 1672 | awarded chair of Astronomy and
Mathematics, Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico |
| 1672 | produced an almanac |
| 1673 | received bachillerate in Arts, ordained a
priest |
| 1680 | at Querétaro, received prize for
poetry; published Teatro de virtudes políticas que constituyen a un
Príncipe ... ; published Glorias de Querétaro en la Nueva
Congregación Eclesiástica de María Santíssima de
Guadalupe ... y el sumptuoso templo ... |
| 1681 | wrote Manifiesto philosóphico
contra los cometas despojados del imperio que tenían sobre los
tímidos, about the comet which appeared in Mexico; became involved
in controversy |
| 1682 | named chaplain of the Hospital de Amor de
Dios until his death; also made almoner (limosnero) of Archbishop of
Mexico |
| 1683 | published Triunfo parthénico que en
glorias de María Santíssima ... celebró la ... Academia
Mexicana |
| 1684 | published Parayso Occidental, plantado y
cultivado en su magnífico Real Convento de Jesüs María de
México ... |
| 1689 | published Piedad heróica de don
Hernando Cortés, Marqués del Valle |
| 1690 | published Infortunios que Alonso
Ramírez natural de la ciudad de S. Juan de Puerto Rico
padeció ... en poder de ingleses piratas ... |
| 1691 | published Libra astronómica y
philosóphica en que ...examina ... lo que a
(Sigüenza's)Manifiesto ... contra los Cometas ... opuso el R. P.
Eusebio Francisco Kino ... |
| 1691 | published Relación de lo sucedido a
la armada de Barlovento ... victoria ... contra los franceses
... |
| 1691 | published Trofeo de la justicia
española en el castigo de la alevosía francesa ... |
| 8 June 1692 | "corn riot" in Mexico City;
Sigüenza managed to save part of the archives and paintings in the
burning Audiencia building |
| 1692 | named geographer to the King; made
official member of the expedition under Captain Pes which explored the
shores of the Bay of Pensacola in search of defensible
frontiers |
| 1693 | wrote Descripción del seno de Santa
Maria de Galve, alias Panzacola, de la Mobila y del Río
Misisipi |
| 1693 | published Mercurio Volante con la noticia
de la recuperación de las provincias del Nuevo México
... |
| 1694 | retired with a promised pension from the
University; apparently re-entered the Jesuit order; willed his library to
the Jesuit Colegio de San Pedro y San Pablo |
| 1695 | wrote the Elogio fünebre de Sor Juana
Inés de la Cruz |
| 1696 | finally received University
pension |
| 15 Oct 1698 | expedition under Arriola tried to
colonize Pensacola Bay |
| 2 Feb 1699 | when French fleet reached
Pensacola, Arriola returned to Mexico, blamed Sigüenza, involved
Viceroy; Sigüenza defended his own 1693 account of the area and its
potential, was exonerated |
| Nov 1699 | Sigüenza named Corregidor General
(book examiner) for the Inquisition |
| 1700 | second edition of Oriental planeta
evangélico ... |
| 22 Aug 1700 | died in Mexico City of a kidney
ailment, leaving a number of unpublished manuscripts which were
subsequently lost |
Compiled from the following sources:
Diccionario Porrüa de historia, biografía y geografía
de México (5th ed. rev.) Mexico City: Editorial Porrüa,
1986, v. 3, p. 117.
Enciclopedia de México. Mexico City: Secretaría de
Educación Püblica, 1987, v. 12, pp. 7285-86.
Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europea-americana (1st ed.).
Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1958, v. 56, p. 117.
Leonard, Irving A. Don Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora.
Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1929.
Valles Formosa, Alba, ed. Los infortunios de Alonso
Ramírez. San Juan de Puerto Rico: Editorial Cordillera, 1967,
pp. 12-27, with complete bibliography, pp. 118-146.
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