Academia literaria


The academia literaria was a literary tertulia popular during Spain's Golden Age of literature and the arts, from the early sixteenth century to the late seventeenth century, and especially during the reign of the Spanish Habsburgs and, in particular, that of King Philip II, a significant patron of Spanish art and culture. By the seventeenth century, these literary academies had become "one of the most prominent features of literary life... in Spain", and many leading men of letters, such as Lope de Vega, Luis de Góngora, Luis Vélez de Guevara and Francisco de Quevedo would be members of more than one academia.
Many sought to make their voices heard in the literary gatherings frequented by poets and artists for the amusement and entertainment of nobles and patrons: the academia literaria. Nobles frequently attended these gatherings, with one often assuming the role of Academy president, while a distinguished literary figure took on the position of "secretary". Membership in some academies could require certain qualifications, such as having published multiple works, or just one if it was a heroic poem, though attendance itself did not have such restrictions. Zaragoza, as the capital of the kingdom of Aragón was, along with Madrid, one of Spain's most important centres of academic activity in the seventeenth century.
At the end of the first part of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes refers to the 'Academia de Argamasilla', in "a place in La Mancha". In all likelihood there was no such academia, but Cervantes' experience of these literary gatherings led him to make derisive reference to a tertulia of people from La Mancha. He also makes more general or specific references to the academias in other, later works, including in "Rinconete y Cortadillo". Moreover, according to Francisco Márquez Villanueva, Cervantes' Viaje del Parnaso is a "monumental sarcastic takedown on the pompous aspirations of the academies".
Each gathering would close with a vejamen, a satirical piece of prose that was "an integral part of any academy session".

Notable ''academias'' in Spain

Lope himself was the Secretary, albeit for only two weeks, due to the difficulties the role entailed. Other attendees, either as men of letters themselves or as patrons of the Arts, included Andrés de Claramonte, the Duke of Pastrana, Francisco de Borja (Prince Esquilache), Count of Lemos, the Count of Cantillana, Diego Duque de Estrada, and the Count-Duke of Olivares.
Cervantes' Novelas Ejemplares, was dedicated to Pedro Fernández de Castro, Count of Lemos, one of the regular attendees of this academia. Lemos, while viceroy of Naples had been a patron of the Accademia degli Oziosi created there in 1611. Other works Cervantes dedicated to Lemos include the second part of Don Quixote, Persiles y Sigismunda|Persiles], completed just days before he died. In January 1612, Lope informed Sessa that sessions were still being held by the Academy and that, although he no longer attended, he still sent, "always", a sonnet dedicated to the Virgin. The academia finally broke up due to the animosity between two opposing factions following a violent row between Pedro Soto de Rojas and Luis Vélez de Guevara. Many of its members then joined the Academia de Parnaso.