Beatriz Galindo (La Latina)

Beatriz Galindo

Beatriz Galindo was a Spanish writer and humanist, preceptor of Queen Isabela of Castille and her daughters. She was one of the most educated women of her time and lived in a time of great historical events of which she was a privileged witness for her proximity to Queen Isabella.

Beatriz was born in Salamanca in 1465 and from a very early age she showed great intelligence and skills for the learning of the Latin language. This early ability gave her the nickname of La Latina by which she would become known in history

She was destined to be a nun and while preparing for entering the convent, she was able to attend lessons at one of the institutions depending of the University of Salamanca. We must remember that the XV century was a time in which women were not allowed to attend lessons at University.

Her great inclination for reading, studying and learning Latin, (in which she was fluent at the age of 15) gave her a fame which reached the court of the Catholic Monarchs.

In 1486, Queen Isabella wanted to improve her knowledge of Latin, as she had not really been educated to be a Queen, the heir to the throne being her brother, Henry IV. One of her counsellors had stayed in Salamanca for some time and had heard about Beatriz Galindo, her wisdom and many qualities and he recommended her to the Queen.

Beatriz was then taken to court and there she became the Queen’s Latin instructor. Later she was also the teacher of Queen Isabella’s daughters, Isabel, Juana, María and Catalina who, all of them became queens of different countries in later days

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Beatriz’s wisdom and great personal qualities made the Queen appreciate her so much that she ended up being much more than a teacher, also an advisor and someone whom Queen Isabella really trusted.

In 1491 Beatriz married Francisco Ramírez de Madrid, a widower 25 years older than her, who was captain of the army of King Ferdinand and also his secretary. Francisco Ramírez was greatly appreciated, one of the best soldiers of his time who won many favours, titles and properties from his accomplishments in battles and conquering . Consequently this marriage also brought Beatriz a still more prominent position in the court of the Catholic Monarchs. She had two sons from him; Fernán and Nuflo.

Beatriz was not just a teacher, she wrote poetry and was a great fan of Aristotle, whose work she studied deeply and also wrote an important work about him.

After his husband’s death in 1501 and specially, after Queen Isabella’s death in 1504, Beatriz retired from the court and devoted herself to administrate her properties and to pursue charitable and religious purposes. She also enjoyed the company of her sons and grandchildren, while she continue writing and studying.

In the last years of her life she founded a hospital for the poor and two convents, in one of which she was buried when she died in 1534. Her name and memory still lives in the many schools in Spain and the neighbourhood in Madrid which have inherited her name and nickname: Beatriz Galindo, La Latina.