   #copyright

Lope de Barrientos

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Religious figures and
leaders

   Funeral portrait of Lope de Barrientos; from Museum of the Fairs in
   Medina del Campo
   Enlarge
   Funeral portrait of Lope de Barrientos; from Museum of the Fairs in
   Medina del Campo

   Lope de Barrientos ( Medina del Campo, Spain, 1382 - Cuenca, Spain,
   1469), sometimes called Obispo Barrientos ("Bishop Barrientos"), was a
   powerful clergyman of the Spanish Crown of Castile during the 15th
   century, although his prominence and the influence he wielded during
   his lifetime is not well-represented in Spanish history.

   From relatively humble beginnings in Medina del Campo where he studied
   grammar, he took advantage of a secular custom of Castilian monarchs to
   selectively promote lower class court nobility to enter the service of
   Ferdinand I of Aragon; a capacity normally reserved only to those of
   high birth.

   Later, using his native intelligence, Barrientos exploited every
   opening to climb in social rank against the backdrop of a complex
   political atmosphere: over his lifetime he became a Dominican friar;
   served as a professor of theology at the University of Salamanca
   (possibly the first); as the bishop of three successive cities—
   Segovia, Ávila, and chiefly of Cuenca —as royal confessor of John II of
   Castile; an Inquisitor; an advisor to Henry IV of Castile; and as
   Chancellor of Castile. In addition, he published a series of
   theological treatises and tracts concerning religious problems
   encountered in 15th century Spain.

Biography

   Barrientos was born in Medina del Campo in the year 1382, the son of
   Pedro Gutierre de Barrientos, a servant of Ferdinand I of Aragon, who
   was killed during a battle in service to the king. It is probable,
   though not possible to conclusively demonstrate, that his family were
   originally Marranos—that is, Sephardic Jews who were forced in ancient
   times to adopt the identity of Christians, either through coercion, or
   who, for form's sake, became Catholic converts in service to the Crown.
   He was born into the court and was treated as one of the Infantes de
   Aragón ("Princes of Aragon"; the children of Fernando I and Eleanor of
   Alburquerque), which explains why he was a part of—-at least at
   first—the internal Castilian struggles against Álvaro de Luna, the
   Constable of Castile, Grand Master of the military order of Santiago,
   and favorite of King John II.

   Barrientos first studied to be a Domican Friar in Medina, then at the
   Convent of San Esteban in Salamanca in 1406. Following the completion
   of his education, he took a teaching position at the University of
   Salamanca, where he conducted classes in theology and philosophy. While
   at the University, he met and befriended another eminent figure, Tomás
   de Torquemada. Barrientos and Torquemada had many things in common:
   they were both likely of Jewish origin; belonged to the Dominican
   Order; came from villages in the province of Valladolid; and,
   undoubtedly, shared ideas on the religious problem of Castile.

   Barrientos was so outstanding in his teaching that in 1416 he was
   offered and accepted a chair at the university as professor of
   theology. Adding more prestige to the position, it is thought that this
   was the first time the University of Salamanca had endorsed this type
   of professorship. He remained there until 1433, when King John II
   nominated him to the post of royal confessor and further entrusted him
   with the education of his sons, Prince Henry (who would go on to become
   "the Impotent" King) and later, Prince Alfonso (b. 1453 - d. 1468).
   View of the Cathedral of Segovia from the Alcázar.
   Enlarge
   View of the Cathedral of Segovia from the Alcázar.

   Barrientos was appointed an Inquisitor during this time, and in 1438,
   he was elected Bishop of Segovia. On May 3, 1440 a church council was
   convened in the Church of San Miguel of Turégano, at which he presented
   his synodal commandments for the theological and pastoral formation of
   his clergymen. Being loyal to John II, in 1442 he reformed the diocese
   of Segovia, which had been under the influence of the rebellious prince
   Henry, to serve the province of Ávila in supporting the King. Later, he
   engineered a conciliation in the Tordesillas area to create a joint
   front in the face of the opposition of the Kingdoms of Navarre and
   Aragon. In 1444 he occupied the diocese of Cuenca and in the following
   year he lent the diocese's aid to the region's troops in the battle of
   Olmedo. Similarly, in 1449, he pledged the arms of the diocese in
   defense against the troops of don Alonso de Aragón and other Castilian
   noblemen who opposed the king. One offered him the archbishopric seat
   of Santiago de Compostela, but he rejected this enticement.

   Despite his important religious responsibilities, Bishop Barrientos
   never neglected his duty to the state, serving throughout his career as
   adviser first to John II, later to Henry IV, and possibly as an
   instructor of the future Queen and then stepsister of the king,
   Isabella of Castile as well as being named tutor to John II's youngest
   son, prince Alphonsus in the King's will. From his privileged position
   of confidence it is likely that he decisively influenced their
   politics, as the religious policy views of all three monarchs closely
   resembled Barrientos' known theological policy leanings. Nevertheless,
   Barrientos deplored both kings for their sheepishness, and it is likely
   he conspired against Henry IV before his crowning given his close
   relationship with the Princes of Aragón.

   His work as man of state was as discreet as it was fundamental. He
   worked (or plotted) in close proximity to John II, at first as a
   partisan supporter of the Princes of Aragón, but later as a faithful
   follower of John II, once he became king. Ultimately, he became a very
   powerful and rich man despite the vow of poverty associated with the
   Dominican Order.

   Although Álvaro de Luna had been a favorite of John II, acting as one
   of his main advisors, and wielded great power as Grand Master of the
   military order of Santiago, The king's second wife, Isabel de Portugal,
   was offended at the immense influence of the constable, and urged her
   husband to free himself from slavery to his favorite. In 1453 the king
   succumbed; Alvaro was arrested, tried and condemned. He was executed at
   Valladolid on 2 June 1453. Barrientos stepped into the power vacuum,
   replacing Luna in the government of Castile until the death of John II
   just a year later. Following the crowning of Henry IV, Barrientos
   separated to some extent from the affairs of the state over
   disagreements with the new monarch. Despite his eventful political
   life, he had still time to found diverse convent houses—the Hospital de
   San Sebastián de Cuenca and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad de Medina del
   Campo—and to write numerous books, reflecting his adherence to the
   philosophy of scholasticism. Barrientos died in Cuenca on May 30, 1469
   and was laid to rest in the second of the two convents he founded.

Activities as inquisitor and policy on conversion

   At the end of 15th century, a wide sector of Spanish society held
   hostile views toward Jews; as the Franciscan, Alphonso de Spina
   explains in his treatise, Fortalitium Fidei: "Entraron, ¡oh Señor!, en
   tu rebaño los lobos rapaces. Nadie piensa en los pérfidos judíos, que
   blasfeman de tu nombre" (They entered your flock, oh Lord!, as greedy
   wolves. Nobody thinks about the perfidious Jews, who blaspheme in your
   name).

   By contrast, there were influential Spaniards who decried these
   attitudes—at least toward converted Jews (some of them being converts
   themselves) —such as Díaz de Toledo, Alonso de Cartagena, Lope
   Barrientos and Juan de Torquemada (the uncle of the inquisitor).
   Benzion Netanyahu, a noted writer on 15th century Spanish affairs,
   affirms that when the converted Spaniards were persecuted, they were
   "determined to fight fire with fire, the Marranos enlisted in their
   support men of courage and brilliance, such as Lope de Barrientos...".

   In fact, Barrientos wrote a number of tracts defending Jews; in one he
   recognized that it is "posible es que aya algunos, pero puesto que ansy
   sea, injusta e inhumana cosa sería todo el linaje dellos manzellar nin
   diffamar" (possible that there are some deserving of condemnation, but
   even if that is the case, it would be unjust and cruel to debase and
   defame all people of Jewish heritage). Thanks to his position as
   inquisitor and the influence that title conferred upon him, he was able
   to contact Pope Nicholas V regarding the issue. In 1449 he obtained a
   favorable response; according to Barrientos, the Pontiff "había mandado
   que no se hiciera ninguna discriminación entre los nuevos convertidos a
   la fe y los cristianos viejos en la recepción y tenencia de honores,
   dignidades y oficios, tanto eclesiásticos como seculares" (ordered him
   not to discriminate between new converts to the faith and old
   Christians in the reception and tenancy of honours, dignities and
   offices, both ecclesiastical and secular).

   Lope de Barrientos, went so far as to make sure that he was descended
   from converted Jews. However, the research's aim was to establish
   himself as an old Christian, with the goal of using this evidence to
   strengthen his ideological position: to defend converted Jews, but to
   attack unconverted Jews.

   Despite his laudable defense of converted Jews, Barrientos and, in
   general, the Dominican Order, supported the prohibition of Judaism in
   Castile. His stance was that the Judeo-Spaniards had to convert or
   leave, and they defended that ideology until Tomás de Torquemada, the
   grand inquisitor, convinced Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of
   Aragon to act. In 1492 the Alhambra Decree issued, which mandated the
   expulsion of all Jews from Spain and its territories and possessions by
   July 31, 1492.
   Detail from a painting by Pedro Berrugueteon the life of Santo Domingo
   de Guzmán depicting Dominican friars burning heretical books. Enlarge

                 Detail from a painting by Pedro Berruguete
              on the life of Santo Domingo de Guzmán depicting
                  Dominican friars burning heretical books.

   Another campaign Barrientos took up with the king was the prosecution
   of Enrique de Villena, whom he charge with witchcraft and necromancy.
   Villena was a man of letters who wrote on diverse topics, was a
   translator (most notably of Virgil's Aeneid), a surgeon, and it is
   possible that he collected books in Hebrew and Arabic; such pursuits
   automatically turned him into a suspected heretic. Although John II was
   himself a man of innovative ideas and one of the more cultured people
   of his age, like many of the era, he distrusted intellectuals, and, in
   response to Barrientos' suit, condemned Enrique de Villena to prison.
   These events are well attested in unpublished works authored by
   Barrientos, which still exist in Salamanca such as his Tratado de caso
   e fortuna (Treatise on Prophesies).

   After Villena died in jail in 1434, king John II entrusted his library
   to Barrientos for investigation. Barrientos ordered the majority of the
   manuscripts burned, but preserved a few.

   The poet, Juan de Mena ( 1411- 1456), a chronicler of King John II's
   life, skewered Barrientos for these deeds in his Laberinto de fortuna
   ("Labyrinth of Fortune"), a 300 octave poem which explicitly mirrors
   the form of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy:

   Perdió los tus libros sin ser conosçidos,   (He lost your books without
                                                   knowing what's what,
     e cómo en esequia te fueron ya luego      and since in funeral you had
                                                       already came
         unos metidos al ávido fuego,        some books went into eager flame,
     otros sin orden non bien repartidos;    and others, without order, badly
                                                       divided up;)


   Wikisource Wikisource has original text in Spanish related to this
              section:
              Juan de Mena's Laberinto de fortuna about Villena and Barrientos

   Some accused Barrientos of being a savage and of plundering the most
   valuable books in Villena's collection in order to plagiarize them.
   Others, however, justified his acts by rationalizing that since John II
   wanted the entire collection put to the torch, it was only through
   Barrientos' intervention that even some were saved. Barrientos himself
   offered an explanation of the events, addressed to the king, in his
   Tractado de la Divinança, translated from the original Spanish as
   follows:


   Lope de Barrientos

   Your Majesty, after the death of Don Enrique de Villena, as a Christian
    king, you sent me, your devoted follower, to burn his books, which I
     executed in the presence of your servants. These action, and other
   ones, are a testament to your Majesty's devotion to Christianity. While
    this is praiseworthy, on the other hand, it is useful to entrust some
     books to reliable people who would use them solely with the goal of
   educating themselves to better defend the Christian religion and faith
          and to bedevil idolaters and practitioners of necromancy.


   Lope de Barrientos

Barrientos and Álvaro de Luna

   It is difficult to determine if Bishop Barrientos was or was not a
   supporter of Constable Álvaro de Luna, since, in the words of the
   historian, José Luis Martín: "...entre 1435 y 1440 el sistema de
   alianzas cambia continuamente. No es posible en una obra de esta
   naturaleza referirnos a todas ellas ni mencionar los nombres de quienes
   apoyan a unos u otro en cada momento" (...between 1435 and 1440 the
   system of alliances changed continuously. It is not possible in a work
   of this nature to refer to all of them nor to even mention the names of
   those who supported one faction or another at any given moment). Or as
   put by historian Paulino Iradiel: "Las luchas civiles se desarrollan de
   manera contradictoria e intermitente hasta el final del reinado (de
   Juan II), con alianzas, tácticas circunstanciales y cambios de bando
   que hacen difícil su explicación" (until the end of the reign of John
   II, the civil struggles developed in a contradictory and intermittent
   way, with alliances, circumstantial tactics and changes of edict that
   confound explanation).

   Nevertheless, given Barrientos' close relationship with the Princes of
   Aragón, it is reasonable to conclude that, at least at first, he was a
   supporter of the opposition camp. Nevertheless, he was a skillful
   politician who knew how to maneuver when political winds shifted in
   favour of John II, to save himself from misfortune.

   When John II of Aragón (one of the Princes of Aragón) broke the Truce
   of Majano (1430) and invaded Castile, King John II of Castile, along
   with loyal followers including Bishop Barrientos, was forced to take
   shelter in Medina del Campo. Although Medina collected tolls from
   wayfarers, other than an extensive moat, it had few military
   fortifications, and was consequently not easily defended. Bishop
   Barrientos offered to act as a mediator with the invading forces and
   apparently obtained beneficial treatment for both sides. Nevertheless,
   everything points to the fact that he betrayed his monarch; when John
   II was celebrating, trusted that he was secure in the heart of Medina
   del Campo, troops of the Kingdom of Navarre burst into the villa where
   he was sheltering and took him prisoner. Although he was soon released,
   his detention made of him a laughingstock and dishonored the prestige
   of the crown. It is possible to read into these events, that Barrientos
   was one of the instigators of the exile of Álvaro de Luna in 1439,
   preparing the way for the victory of the Princes of Aragón.

   The passage of five years brought a dramatic change of events. Although
   John II of Aragon had continued to occupy the region, consolidating his
   annexation, the death of his wife, Blanca de Navarra, forced him to
   leave the Castilian campaign and beat a hasty retreat home, since his
   own crown was in danger from the pretensions of his stepson, Charles of
   Viana. The power of the Princes of Aragón was sundered, and Barrientos
   had to react rapidly to the shifting political climate.

   Barrientos' allegiance dilemma was solved when Álvaro de Luna returned
   from abroad, bringing with him the support of the diocese of Toledo,
   which had practically unlimited resources, and which had granted him
   their patronage at the behest of his half brother, Juan de Cerezuela.
   Greatly aided by their financial backing and political cachet, he was
   able to mobilize royalist supporters of the crown to fight for the
   king. While the two sides geared up for war (ultimately taking place in
   Olmedo), Barrientos, his course now clear, traveled to the town of
   Madrigal de las Altas Torres (northern Ávila) to convince the heir,
   prince Henry, to forbear from taking up arms against his own father.

   In 1445 the Battle of Olmedo took place. The defeat of the Princes of
   Aragón was overwhelming. Juan de Mena chronicles the moments leading up
   to the engagement in his well-known poem Coplas de la Panadera ("Songs
   of the Baker"), in which he describes the warlike ardor of the bishop:

          En cátedra de madera            (In a wood cathedral
        vi al obispo Barrientos          I see bishop Barrientos
      Con un dardo sin armientos,  with a spear but without a thrower,
       que a predicarles saliera        to preach to them he went
        e por conclusión pusiera       and in the end he promised
      quel que allí fuese a morir,     to those who died in battle
           Él le faría subir          he would send them to Heaven
         al cielo sin escalera              without a ladder
                     Di panadera!                   See the baker!)


   Wikisource Wikisource has original text in Spanish related to this
              section:
              Juan de Mena's Coplas de la panadera about the Battle of Olmedo
   Henry IV of Castile
   Enlarge
   Henry IV of Castile

   After the battle, Álvaro de Luna immediately initiated contact with
   Charles of Viana, to lend him aid in the civil war then brewing in
   Navarre between Charles and his stepfather, the king of Aragon. John II
   of Aragon ultimately defeated his stepson, and, in retaliation for de
   Luna's aid, in 1449 he again invaded Castilian territory, this time
   laying siege to Cuenca with the help of a the city's chief warder, the
   traitor Diego de Mendoza. Barrientos was by this time the bishop of
   Cuenca, and fully faithful to John II of Castile. Accordingly, he
   personally organized the defense of the city. With the help of the
   locals, they held back the enemy long enough for Constable de Luna to
   arrive with reinforcements. The invaders were eventually repelled.

   The demands placed on surrounding cities to support the liberation of
   Cuenca led to some discord. Some citizens of the city of Toledo, for
   instance, were supporters of John II of Aragon and the citizenry in
   general resented Álvaro de Luna's call for additional tax collection to
   support the liberation effort. In a fit of pique, led by the City's
   chief warder, Pedro Sarmiento, who had for years sought to expel
   Toledo's converted Jews, several high ranking tax collectors of Jewish
   extraction were executed. After the Navarrese were routed from Cuenca,
   so too fled the hopes of Toledo's malcontents, who were left with no
   options left but to deliver the city to the Constable. Pedro Sarmiento,
   however, had other plans, leading a mob in sacking and setting fire to
   the city's Jewish quarter. Soon thereafter, in conciliation to Álvaro
   de Luna, Pedro Sarmiento was put on trial by the city for the murders
   and pillaging committed at his instigation.

   Lope de Barrientos political star kept on rising. Upon the death of
   Álvaro de Luna in 1453, he was appointed Chancellor of Castile, thus
   becoming the preeminent political figure of the region under the King.
   Just a year later, however, John II of Castile died and was succeeded
   by Henry IV. Barrientos did not fare well opposite the new king, whom
   he considered ineffectual and lacking in character. Henry IV was known
   as the impotent for his unconsummated marriage to Blanca of Navarre.
   Barrientos scoffed at Henry for his failure to act in the face of
   rumors impugning his character, such as the infidelity of the queen
   with one of his confidants, and talk of his homosexuality.

   Frustrated with the King, and then in his 70s, Barrientos decided to
   retire from politics and to concentrate on the management of his
   diocese in Cuenca; a path he followed until the day of his death in
   1469.

Writings

   Because the majority of Lope de Barrientos' writings are of a
   theological bent and addressed to issues of his era, they are more the
   province of scholarly study today, than of general interest. The major
   portion of his work is addressed to the ideological modernization of
   the Hispanic Church. He penned a number of treatises on the Sacraments
   (all in Latin), a compendium of moral theology and a Book of laws with
   which he hoped to contribute to the enrichment of canonical law.
   Folio 1r from a manuscript of Augustine's, City of God c. 1470
   Enlarge
   Folio 1r from a manuscript of Augustine's, City of God c. 1470
     * Clavis Sapientiae: Barrientos' earliest extant work—a theological
       philosophy encyclopedia of the epoch. Although no originals
       survive, a hand-written copy is held by the national Library of
       Madrid.

     * Opusculum super intellectu quorumdam verborum cuiusdam decreti
       contenti in volumine decretorum, ubi Gratianus, tractans de materia
       sacrilegii, XVII, q. III, ait: sacrilegii quoque reatum incurrit,
       qui iudaeis publica officia committit: A discussion of the social,
       religious, racial and doctrinal problem that, according to Lope de
       Barrientos, were provoked by Jews. For him, the most suitable
       solution was their segregation, and, if possible, their expulsion
       (which would occur just a few years later, partly at his
       instigation). Some manuscripts survive in good condition; a few in
       the hands of private parties and others in various cathedral
       archives.

     * Index latinus ad sancti Antonini, Archiepiscopi Florentini, Summam
       Theologicam: Manuscript preserved in the file of the Cathedral of
       Segovia.

   He also wrote several, less specialized manuscripts in Spanish, but
   intended for an educated audience.
     * Crónica del halconero (1454): A chronicle chiefly of the life of
       John II of Castile, as well as of the writer, Álvar García of
       Santamaría.

     * Contra algunos zizañadores de la nación de los convertidos del
       pueblo de Israel (1445-1451) ("In opposition to those who agitate
       against converted Israeli people"): A defense of Spanish Jewish
       converts. The Library of the University of Salamanca has one copy
       and another copy from the 17th century is in the National Library
       of Madrid.

     * Tratado de caso e fortuna ("Treatise on Prophesies"): Written at
       the request of John II of Castile while Barrientos was bishop of
       Cuenca, it is purely scholastic and discursive, with excessive
       reliance on Aristotelian teachings and little original material. It
       was published in 1927 in Salamanca, but there are ancient copies
       in: the National Library of Madrid dating to 1549; another in the
       British Museum in London dating to the 15th century; and a last
       copy in the Library of the University of Salamanca.

     * Tractado del dormir et despertar et del soñar et de las adevinanças
       et agüeros et profeçía ("Treatise on sleeping and waking; of
       dreaming and of divinations; of presages and prophecies"): Consists
       of six treatises created at the behest of John II, following his
       satisfaction with the Tratado de caso e fortuna, and displays a
       similar orthodox form. It attempts to distinguish divinely inspired
       dreams concerning biblical scripture and biblical figures such as
       Joseph, from dreams that are nothing more than dreams. It also
       explores the Christian theory of the prophet and the omens and
       riddles presented in the Bible. The British Museum of London has a
       number of well preserved copies. There is one hand-written copy
       dating from 1559 held by the National Library of Madrid and a few
       more in the University of Salamanca library dating from the 15th
       century.

   "The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach, c. 16th century, Germany
   Enlarge
   "The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach, c. 16th century, Germany
     * Tractado de la divinança ("Treatise on divination"): Thought to be
       a manipulated summary of a book from the library of Enrique de
       Villena, but nonetheless considered Barrientos' most important
       work, it is a didactic sermon with philosophical pretensions that
       explores theories of philosophy which deny the possibility of
       divination, contrasting them with the religious sphere where many
       have been directly affected by divine intervention, as well as by
       the influence of evil spirits. In order to demonstrate that
       malignant spirits can influence the lives of men, he explores the
       Genesis story of Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden. He
       arrives at the conclusion that the "Artes Mágicas" (Magical Arts)
       were birthed by Cain, who wrote a manuscript he denominates the
       "Libro Raziel" (Book of Raziel), from which all magicians and their
       powers are derived. Although in general Barrientos thought that
       "casi siempre frívolas y de ninguna eficacia" (they are almost
       always frivolous and ineffectual), he nevertheless concludes that
       their eradication is necessary.

Foundations and legacies

   John II of Castile bestowed on Barrientos the dominions of Pascualcobo
   and Serranos de la Torre in Ávila, on which he built a number of
   estates in diverse towns. In 1451 he ordered construction of the castle
   of Serranos de la Torre, presently known as the Torrejón de los
   Serranos. Like other prominent clergyman, he devoted himself to all
   manner of benefactions, scholarships and other forms of charitable
   legacies. Some fringe historians have proposed that Lope de Barrientos
   founded the University Hospital of Salamanca, but there is little
   evidence to support this hypothesis. Among his charitable works stand
   out:
     * The Hospital de la Piedad in Medina del Campo; where Barrientos was
       born and where he was laid to rest in its funeral chapel. He
       bequeathed funds to the hospital to support its continuing
       charitable work in aiding the indigent and needy and for support of
       several doctors and clergymen friendly to his diocese. Also in
       Medina del Campo, Barrientos directed construction of three shrines
       and funded the enlargement of the convento dominico de San Andrés
       (Dominican convent of San Andrés).

     * Outside of his hometown, he emphasizes the construction of the
       Hospital de San Sebastián, in Cuenca, and a hermitage in Salamanca
       also consecrated to Saint Sebastian, in the convent of Peña de
       Francia. Neither of these foundations survive today.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lope_de_Barrientos"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
