Chronology

YEAR

LOPE’S AGE

LIFE AND WORK

1562



November 25, day of San   Lope, the poet was born in Madrid. Some believe he was born December 2.
  On December 6, he was baptized in San Miguel de los Octoes.


1563/ 1571



He spent some of these   years in Seville with his uncle the Inquisitor.

He learned to read and   write with the musician and writer Vicente Espinel.

1572

10

He seems to have began   his studies at the Imperial School this year.

1574

12

Studies in the Imperial   School.

Lope already wrote   plays, although he reworked El   verdadero amante (as well as the later La pastoral de Jacinto), attributed to that year, before   publishing them.

1577

15

Possibly enrolled in the   University of Alcalá.

1578

16

On August 17 his father   died.

The poet ran away from   home with his friend Hernando Muñoz.

1579

17

Probably composed La comedia de los hechos de Garcilaso de la Vega.

Entered in the service   of the Bishop Jerónimo Manrique, who is believed to have helped him finish   his studies at the University of Alcalá.

1580

18

Had a relationship with María   de Aragón (Marfisa), son of a Flemish bread maker named Jácome de Amberes,   who lived in Madrid.

1581

19

On January 2, Manuela,   daughter of Lope de Vega and María de Aragón, was baptized.
  He finished his studies at the University of Alcalá.


1582

20

He spent a brief time at   the University of Salamanca.

1583

21

He met Elena Osorio (who   appears in his work as Filis, Zaida, Dorotea).

He enlisted in the   Marquis de Santa Cruz’s expedition to Terceira Island, in the Azores, which   launched on June 23.

1584-1587



He wrote plays for the   businessman Jerónimo Velázquez, the father of Elena Osorio, woman with whom   he had an affair for more than four years.

1584

22

Collaborated with Pedro de Padilla in Jardín espiritual, and López Maldonado   en Cancionero.

1585

23

On August 11, his   daughter Manuela died.

1585-1587



He met Juan B. Labaña, Phillip   II’s cosmographer and founder of the Mathematics Academy of Madrid, and with   whom he studied Mathematics and Astrology.

He studied Liberal Arts   with the master Juan de Córdoba.

1587

25

Began as secretary in   the service of Pedro Dávila, Marquis de las Navas

In December, in the   middle of a performance in the Corral de la Cruz, he was taken prisoner for   writing defamatory verses against Elena Osorio and her family.

1588

26

He continued to write in   prison and spreading defamatory letters and verses against Elena Osorio and   they condemned him to exile from the Court for four years, and two years from   the kingdom of Castile.

Before leaving Madrid   for Valencia, he kidnapped Isabel de Urbina (Belisa), and married her by   proxy.

His daughter Antonia was   born.

He wrote plays, vying   for the attention of businessmen of Madrid and Valencia, and composed   romances that spread quickly throughout Spain. He was known as a great   playwright.

In May he set sail in   Lisbon, as a volunteer soldier in the Invincible Armanda. He wrote La hermosura de Angélica.

1589

27

In September, his mother   (who never appeared in his work) was buried in Madrid.

He returned to Valencia   with his wife Isabel, where he met Guillén de Castro and had an intense and   productive literary period.

He wrote Primer florilegio de romances.

1590-1591



He lived in Toledo as secretary to Francisco   de Rivera Barroso, then Marquis de Malpica.

1591·1595

29

He entered the service   of Duke of Alba as secretary, in the town of Alba and Toledo.

He wrote plays, novels (La Arcadia), and poems.

1594

32

His daughter Antonia   died.
  Isabel de Urbina died giving birth to a girl (Teodora).


1595

33

His exile ended in March   and he returned to Madrid.

1596

34

His daughter Teodora   died.

He established his   residence in Madrid and met Micaela de Luján (who appears in his work as Lucinda   or Camila Lucinda).
  He was tried in Madrid for cohabitating with Antonia Trillo de Armenta.


1597

35

He wrote El Isidro y La Dragontea, a ten canto poem about the escapades of Francis   Drake ‘The Dragon’.

1598

36

In April he married   Juana de Guardo in Madrid.
  The theaters closed.


Lope began to work as   secretary in the service of the Marquis of Sarriá, future Count of Lemos, until   1600.
  Began his relationship with Micaela de Luján.


1599·1608



Lived with Micaela de Luján   in Seville, Granada, Toledo and Madrid, alternating with times his wife Juana   de Guardo at their home.

1599

37

With the reopening of   the theaters, Lope returned to the stages.

In July Jacinta, his   daughter with Juana de Guardo, was baptized.

1600

38

He lived for a while in   Toledo, with trips to Madrid and times in Seville.

1602

40

He lived in Seville   (until 1604) with Micaela de Luján.
  He was sick twice.
  La hermosura de Angélica, Rimas humanas and El caballero de Illescas appeared in Seville.


1603

41

Félix, son of Lope de   Vega and Micaela de Luján was born. He was baptized in Seville in October.

He announced he had   written 230 plays and cited 219 titled.

El arenal de Sevilla.

1604

42

The first parte of the plays appeared, the proof   of the Valladolid edition is February 12.

The second edition of   his Rimas appeared in Seville.

He was in Granada in the   Spring, where he enjoyed the hospitality of Álvaro de Guzmán.

In August he rented a   house in Toledo for a year, where he lived with his wife Juana de Guardo, who   was about to give birth.

1605

43

The first part of Don Quixote appeared at the beginning   of the year. The prologue contains several slightly veiled attacks against   Lope.

In April his sister   Isabel died and named him executor of his will.

Marcela, daughter of   Lope de Vega and Micaela de Luján is born. She was baptized in Toledo.

In May the birth of Phillip   the IV was celebrated with festivals and Lope organized a poetry tournament.

He began his work   relationship with the Duke of Sessa. In September he announced in a letter   that he had finished La Jerusalén conquistada and had applied for the   license to publish it. Peribáñez y el   comendador de Ocaña.

1606

44

In March, Carlos Félix,   son of Lope de Vega and Juana de Guardo was baptized in Toledo. It is   believed the boy was born in 1605.

1607-1608



Intermittent love affair   with the actress Jerónima de Burgos (‘the lady Gerarda’).

1607

45



Lope Félix, son of Lope   de Vega and Micaela de Luján was born in January. He was baptized in May and   his godmother was Jerónima de Burgos.
  He entered the service of Luis Fernández de Córdoba (Lucilo), sixth Duke of   Sessa, descendent of the Great Captain, as the Duke’s “secret” secretary.
  On October 27, he rented a house for two years on the Calle de Fúcar, in   Madrid, where he lived with Micaela de Luján. His wife, Juana de Guardo, was then   living in Toledo.


1608

46

In August he was granted   the exclusive to print Jerusalén   conquistada. Lope appeared on the cover as Familiar of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, honorary title.

1609

47

Jerusalén   conquistada, appeared, the Segunda parte de las comedias and Arte nuevo de hacer comedias with the new edition of the Rimas. Here he proudly claims to have written 483 plays.

1610

48

In January he joined the   Congregation of Esclavos del Santísimo Sacramento, in the Oratory of the   Caballero de Gracia, where he was the administrator or prefect. Cervantes,   Quevedo, Espinel, Salas Barbadillo, Calderón, Montalbán, Solís, etc. belonged   to the same.
  Juana de Guardo came to Madrid, Lope went out to meet her and made it to Pinto.
  On September 7 he bought the house on Calle de Francos in Madrid, where he   lived until the end of his days.


1611

49

On March 10 he sold the   house on Calle de Majedericos, which pertained to his wife’s dowry.

He joined the Third   Order of San Francisco and on the occasion of which he wrote his Cuatro soliloquios.
  El villano en su rincón.


1612

50

At the beginning of the   year he published in Madrid Pastores de   Belén, prose and verse dedicated to his son Carlos Félix.
  During the foundation of the Academy “El Parnaso,” by Francisco de Silva y   Mendoza, Lope read several verses wearing Cervantes’ glasses.


Tercera   parte de las comedias appeared.
 
In June his son Carlos Félix died after an   illness that lasted several months. Lope dedicated an elegy to him published   in Rimas sacras.

1613

51

In April he finished La dama boba for the actress Jerónima   de Burgos.
  In August Juana de Guardo, his wife, gave birth to a girl who they named   Feliciana, but the mother died in childbirth.


The Duke of Lerma   organized festivities on his grounds in Segovia, Burgos and Lerma in honor of   Phillip II. Lope traveled with the royal party.

In September in Segovia,   he was the guest of the actress Jerónima de Burgos.
  El perro del hortelano.


1614

52

He was ordained a priest   this year. He first received the lesser orders in Madrid. In March he went to   Toledo (he stayed in the home of the actress Jerónima de Burgos), where he   received the rank of Cleric of the Epistle and then Cleric of the Gospel. On   May 25, in Madrid, he received the final rank of his priestly ordination. On   May 29 he said his first mass in the Church of Carmen Descalzo, in Madrid.
  At the beginning of May the Cuarta   parte de las comedias appeared in Madrid, which he dedicated to the Duke   of Sessa. The license was good through the end of 1613.


In June Feliciana was   baptized. The godparents were the Duke of Sessa and María de Guardo, the   girl’s aunt, since Jerónima de Burgos could not attend.

On August 30 the Duke of   Sessa granted him the stipend of the town of Alcoba, in the diocese of   Cordoba.

He published Rimas sacras, dedicated to friar Martín   de San Cirilo, his confessor. The proof in Madrid was dated August 2.

The beatification of   Santa Terresa de Jesús was celebrated on October 16. Lope opened a literary tournament   which was attended by Cervantes, Espinel and others.

On November 3, his play El premio de la hermosura was   performed in the gardens of Lerma.

1615

53

In June he fled from   Madrid to Toledo, followed by a woman, probably an actress. He was sick in   Toledo.

He complained of   intermittent fevers in the summer and he attributed them to his sorrow. He   took a short trip to Avila, where he aspired to the one of the chaplaincies   in the Church of San Segundo. On the return trip, in Segovia, he finished his   play El mayor imposible.

Parte   V de las comedias appeared, then Parte VI.
 
He fell in love with Marta de Nevares.
  He was named procurator of the Apostolic Chamber in the archbishopric of   Toledo.


1616

54

He had an affair with   the actress Lucía Salcedo (‘the crazy woman’). In July he left for Valencia   to meet her. He became gravely ill.

He returned to Madrid in   August with a son, a Franciscan, perhaps fruit of a romantic encounter during   his exile in Valencia in 1589.

In September he began   his relationship with Marta de Nevares (the Marcia Leonarda of his novels,   the Amarilis of his poetry and letters).

1617

55

Góngora, Lope’s main   rival, moved to Madrid.
  Spongia appeared, libel against   Lope and his friends. Lope replied with two violent satires and with Expostulatio Spongiae, written by his   friends and by him, also in Latin, in which there is a compilation of   laudatory poems for Lope.


His son Lope Félix is   locked up for his bad behavior in the Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados   Asylum.

He complains of poor   vision from the excess of work.

On August 12, Marta de   Nevares gives birth to a girl, Antonia Clara (Clarilis), daughter of Lope.   Her godfather was the Count of Cabra, son of the Duke of Sessa.

Partes VII, VIII and IX of   the plays appeared, the three dedicated to the Duke of Sessa. With Parte IX he began to take part   personally in the printing.

1618-1619



The actions against   Marta de Nevares’ husband to obtain the marriage annulment are finalized.   Marta de Nevares left home and sought refuge in a convent.

1618

56

The sixth edition of El Peregrino en su patria appeared   with a new list of titles of his plays: 219 from the first list and 114 new   listings. Erroneous sum of 462. Décima   parte de las comedias appeared, dedicated to the Marquis of Santa Cruz,   and the Oncena parte, dedicated to   Bartolomé de Vivanco y Velasco. The proof for Parte XI was dated February 4; Lope declared he had written 800   plays up until then.

He wrote El   triunfo de la fe en los reinos del Japón por los años de 1614 y 1615.
 
He disseminated Expostulatio Spongiae in response to the libel from Rámila.

1619

57

The Docena parte de las comedias appeared, dedicated to the Count of   la Puebla. The proof was signed by Vicente Espinel.
  Roque Hernández, Marta de Nevares’ husband, died. In the dedication to his   son Lope Félix from the play of his youth El   verdadero amante (it appeared the following year in Parte XIV de las comedias), he said: “I have written nine hundred   plays, twelve books on different subjects, prose and verse and so many   individual papers on various subjects that are yet to be printed and will   never be printed; and I have acquired enemies, censors, traps, envies, notes,   rebukes and cautions...”


1620

58

A poetry contest for the   beatification of San Isidro was held on May 19 in the Church of San Andrés.   Lope opened the act and distributed the prizes at the end. Calderón also took   part. The compositions from the contest were published that same year: Justa poética y alabanzas... al   bienaventurado San Isidro.
  On June 1 he wrote to His Majesty requesting the position of royal   chronicler.


Partes XIII and XIV of   the comedies appeared.

His son Lope Félix   enters the military with the Marquis of Santa Cruz.

Lo   fingido verdadero.
  El caballero de Olmedo.


1621

59

Partes XV, XVI and XVII of   the plays appeared. The proof for Parte   XV was dated September 4, 1620; in the prologue he stated he had written   927 plays, “counting what are called autos   (Spanish allegorical plays).”

La Filomena, appeared, with other different poems, prose and   verses. The volume contained two novels: Las   fortunas de Diana, dedicated to Marcia Leonarda (Marta de Nevares) and   written at her request, and La   Andrómeda. The exclusive and the printing were June 13. He said he had   written 900 plays.

In December he obtained   the nuncio, by recommendation of the Duke of Sessa, of the position of apostolic   prothonotary.

1622

60

The canonization   festivities of San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid were celebrated. Lope wrote   two plays, petitioned by the Regional Government, La niñez de San Isidro and La   juventud de San Isidro, which were performed before Phillip IV, and he   presided over the poetry contest in which 132 poets participated, among them Guillén   de Castro, Mira de Amescua, Juan de Jáuregui, Calderón and Tirso. Lope put   together the verses from the event in a volume (Relación de las fiestas).

The play El vencido, vencedor was presented to   the queen, poetry form of his love for Marta de Nevares.

On September 19, notice of   Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba’s victory obtained on August 29 near Fleurus, Belgium   reached Madrid. On October 8, Lope had his play La nueva victoria de don Gonzalo de Córdoba ready, which was   performed on October 21 in Madrid.

Marta de Nevares went   blind.

1623

61

In February, Marcela was   ordained in the Convent of the Trinitarias Descalzas, with the name of Sister   Marcela de San Félix. Lope described the ordination in Epístola a don Francisco de Herrera Maldonado.
  Décimaoctava parte de las comedias   appeared, with the proof dated June 22, and the Parte diecinueve.


Lope and his supports attended   the openings of Ruiz de Alarcón, whose works enjoyed public favor.
  El mejor alcalde, el rey   (1620-1623).


1624

62

On January 21 there was   a great procession in the auto-de-fé of the Franciscan monk Benito Ferrer.   Lope presided over the confraternity of familiars   and commissaries of the Holy Office.

La Circe appeared, with other poems and verses, dedicated to   the Count-duke of Olivares. The censures were from August 13 and September 4,   1623. They had three short novels: El   desdichado por la honra, La prudente venganza and Guzmán el Bravo, dedicated to Marcia Leonarda, and some sonnets   dedicated to Amarilis (Marta de Nevares’ names).
  Romancero espiritual appeared,   published in Pamplona.
  Tirso de Molina wrote Los cigarrales de   Toledo, containing the most valuable defense of Lope’s art.


1625

63

Parte veinte de las comedias, the last one published while the author was   alive, appeared in January. The proofs   were from September 29 and October 5, 1624. He said in the prologue: “The naïve   wits will wish that, since I had life to write 1,070 plays, that I have it to   print them.” Los   ingenios cándidos desearán que, como tuve vida para escribir 1.070 comedias,   la tenga para imprimirlas”.
 
On June 29 he joined the   Congregation of San Pedro, association of priests born in Madrid.

In September his Triunfos divinos appeared, with other   sacred poems, dedicate to the Countess of Olivares.

1626

64

The Duke of Sessa received   the Cardinal Barberino, nephew of the pope, and Lope, as Chaplain of the   Duke. They became friends and with others associated with literature who   accompanied the Cardinal.

In June Soliloquios   amorosos de un alma a Dios appeared. Written in Latin by the Reverend Father Gavriel   Padecopeo and in Spanish by Lope de Vega Carpio.

1627

65

In September

Corona   trágica. Vida y muerte de la Serenísima Reina de Escocia María Estuardo   appeared, dedicated to Pope Urban VIII. The proof, from friar Hortensio Félix Paravicino, was   dated August 2.
  In September, Marta de Nevares, who lived in Lope’s home, completely lost her   sight.


The Pope Urban VIII granted   him the title of Doctor of Theology by the Collegium Sapientiae and gave him   the habit of the Order of San Juan (he communicated this to the Gran Maestre   of Malta for his confirmation). The habit implied the honorary title of Frey.  

1627 (?)



He was named chaplain of   San Segundo in the Church of Avila.

1628

66

Lope was named chief   chaplain of the Congregation of the Caballero de Gracia.

He wrote to the Duke of   Sessa: “Here… there is no livelihood… nor clothes, nor money.”

He fell ill. Marta de   Nevares was blind and suffered attacks of madness.

1629

67

In the summer his piece   to be sung, La selva sin amor for   the court’s enjoyment was performed in the Pavilion of the Zarzuela in el   Pardo, on a stage designed by Lotti.

In the fall he finished Laurel de Apolo, with other poems.

He worked on this piece   from 1628. He praised more than 280 poets in Spain and Portugal, and 36 in   France and Italy.

1630

68

Two of his plays failed   and he wrote to the Duke of Sessa saying that he was thinking of leaving theater.

He wrote Égloga   a Claudio, where his famous declaration appears: Mil y quinientas fábulas admira, / que la mayor el número parece, /   verdad que desmerece, / por parecer mentira, / pues más de ciento en horas   veinticuatro / pasaron de las Musas al teatro”.

1631

69

On June 24, night of San   Juan, the Count-duke of Olivares hosted a party for the king and queen and   the royal family in the gardens of the Count of Monterrey and Lope’s work   (written in just three days) La noche   de San Juan, was performed.
  On August 1, he completed his tragedy El   castigo sin venganza. It was performed only once.


1632

70

On April 7, Marta de   Nevares died in Lope’s house in Madrid. She was 41 years old. She was buried   “at the cost of Alonso Pérez”, bookseller friend of Lope.

Dorotea,   perhaps his masterpiece, appeared.

1633

71

His eclogue Amarilis appeared, dedicated to the   Queen of France, in which he told the story in poetry form of his last love.

On December 18, his   daughter Feliciana married Luis de Usátegue, “official of the secretariat of   the Royal Council of the Indies of the Province of Pirú.”

1634

72

On May 24 he finished Las bizarrías de Belisa, perhaps his   last play.
  He received notice of the death of his son Lope Félix, in a shipwreck off the   coast of Venezuela. Lope dedicated an eclogue to him. Antonia Clara, daughter   of Lope and Marta de Nevares, who was the only one still living at the house,   ran away from home at the age of 17, seduced by a protégé of the Count-duke   of Olivares and helper to His Majesty’s Chamber. Lope dedicated the eclogue


Filis   to this event, which appeared after his death, and two poems then included in   La Vega del Parnaso.
  In December his Rimas humanas y divinas   appeared, dedicated to the Duke of Sessa, which included La Gatomaquia. The proof was dated August 17; the tax November   22. It is the last book printed during his lifetime.


1635

73

The prohibition to print   plays ended. Lope turned in Partes XXI   and XXII de sus comedias to the   printer, and they appeared after his death.

On August 24, he   attended some conclusions on Medicine and Philosophy presented by Doctor   Fernardo Cardoso, famous converted Jew, in the Seminary of the Escoceses. He   fainted and they took him home in a chair. The doctors bled him.

On August 25, he wrote   the poem Al siglo de Oro, 246 verse   moral silva (medieval verse form).

The Doctor Juan de   Negrete, Chamber Doctor to His Majesty, visited him and advised they give him   the Holy Sacrament.

On Sunday, August 26, he   wrote his will, where he recognized Feliciana as his only child. They   administered the viaticum and the last rites.

On August 27 he could   not write any more. He died at five fifteen in the afternoon, surrounded by   his friends, among them the Duke of Sessa.

On August 28, the Duke   took charge of the funeral service. All of Madrid participated in the   mourning and by request of his daughter Sister Marcela, the entourage passed   in front of the Convent of the Trinitarias Descalzas. His remains were laid   to rest in the Church of San Sebastían, on Calle Atocha. In the mid 17th   century, they were moved to a common grave.

1637



La Vega del Parnaso was published posthumously.