urn:taro:utexas.blac.00057 Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora: An Inventory of His Collection at the Benson Latin American Collection Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, July 2001. Finding aid written in English. February 20, 2003 Edited with XMetal3 by Bob Stewart followingTARO EAD V.1 Editing for BLAC Finding Aids. Tue Jul 22 14:58:34 CDT 2003 urn:taro:utexas.blac.00057 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (20030505). Descriptive Summary Sigüenza y Góngora, Carlos de, 1645-1700. Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Collection 1686-1704 3 inches 29948812 Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin Spanish or Castilian. Biographical Note

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 <emph render="italic">Descripción del seno de Santa María de Galve, alias Panzacola, de la Mobila y del Río Misisipi. </emph>

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: <emph render="italic">Parayso Occidental... </emph> (1684) and <emph render="italic">Piedad heróica de don Hernando Cortés, Marqués del Valle </emph> (1689).

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 Scope and Contents

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.); <emph render="doublequote">Documentos relativos a don Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora </emph>(G135 MS.);and <emph render="doublequote">Documentos relativos a don Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora y su expedición a Pensacola</emph>(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; <emph render="doublequote">Memoria del Br. Antonio Calderon Benavides</emph> ; and <emph render="doublequote">Verdadera relación del fatal quanto milagrosso succeso de la quemazon de la r. fábrica de la pólvora el dia 25 de Hen. de 1704. </emph>

Acquisition Information

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.

Processing Information

The collection was described by the Benson's Mexican Archives Project in January 1994.

Finding aid initially prepared by the Mexican Archives Project, February 9, 1995.

Preferred Citation

Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Collection, 1686-1704, Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

Also available on microfilm in the Benson Collection.

 Index Terms Subjects Sigüenza y Góngora, Carlos de, 1645-1700--Archives. Cortés, Hernán, 1485-1547 Cerda Sandoval Silva y Mendoza, Gaspar de la, conde de Galve, 1653-1697 Indians of Mexico--Government relations Pensacola (Fla.)--History--Sources. Mexico, Gulf of--Discovery and exploration. Mexico, Gulf of--Description and travel--17th century. Mexico--History--Spanish colony, 1540-1810--Sources. Other Entries Arriola, Andrés de. Pez, Andrés de, 1653-1723 Other Finding Aids

The following guide is available in the Benson Collection Rare Books Reference:

Castañeda, Carlos Eduardo, 1896-1958. <emph render="italic">Guide to the Latin American Manuscripts in the University of Texas Library. </emph> Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1939.

Related Material

García, Genaro, 1867-1920. Genaro García Collection, 15-- - 1920?, Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

Biographical Sources <emph render="italic">Diccionario Porrúa de historia, biografía y geografía de Mexico,</emph>5th ed., rev. Mexico City: Editorial Porrúa, 1986, v. 3, p. 117. <emph render="italic">Enciclopedia de México. </emph> Mexico City: Secretaría de Educación Pública, 1987, v. 12, pp. 7285-86. <emph render="italic">Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europea-americana </emph> (1st ed.). Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1958, v. 56, p. 117. Leonard, Irving Albert, 1896- <emph render="italic">Don Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora, a Mexican savant of the seventeenth century. </emph> Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1929. Valles Formosa, Alba. <emph render="italic">Los infortunios de Alonso Ramírez. </emph> San Juan, P.R.: Editorial Cordillera, 1967, pp. 12-27, with complete bibliography, pp. 118-146.