Juan Ruiz

Juan Ruiz (gen. Archpriest of Hita; * to 1283 in Alcalá de Henares, † 1350 ) was a Spanish poet in the first half of the 14th century.

Life

As Arcipreste in the village of Hita in Guadalajara hired, he was arrested on the orders of the Archbishop of Toledo 1337-1350.

Probably during this imprisonment he wrote his Libro de buen amor (also Libro de los Cantares called ), one consisting of 7173 verses work, which, starting with a prayer to God, a colorful series of stories, mostly personal experiences contains, including love affairs of all nature, mingled with fictitious stories and allegories, apologies, fables and lyrical gems.

The actual narrative parts of the work are written in four-part 14silbigen Alexandrinerstrophen; but the rest is written in 16 different poetic meters, so that the work shall be considered as a pattern book old Spanish rhythms.

The Libro de buen amor was first published by Sánchez in the Colección de POESIAS castellanas anteriores al siglo XV.