In Madrid’s Royal Academy of History lies a document that has had scholars of Spanish literature up in arms ever since it was discovered in a dusty archive in Valladolid back in 1840. Dated September 1569, it’s an order for the arrest of a “certain Miguel de Cervantes” accused of gravely wounding Don Antonio de …
On Guard! Dueling in the Golden Age of Spanish Literature Read More »
Property speculation is a swindle as old as the notion of capitalism itself and, judging by the wave of evictions sweeping the city, not going out of style any time soon. But if you think the behaviour of the banks and investment funds these days is outrageous, then get a load of what went down …
The Duque de Lerma: the Most Notorious Scam Artist in the History of Spain Read More »
Psst! Want to buy a blade? Es muy fácil my friend. Just go to the south western corner of Plaza Mayor, enter the Arco de Cuchilleros and head down the steep street – you’ll know you’re in the right place as soon as you catch a whiff of the slaughterhouse – there you’ll find all …
If you take a wander around Retiro on a Sunday afternoon, you’ll encounter people getting up to all sorts beneath the foliage, from spiritually-minded yogis contorting their bodies into ever more impossible shapes, to carnally-inclined lovers locking lips. But when the park was first opened to the public in 1868, such scenes would have scandalised. …
Medieval prodigy No matter how capable she might be, in 15th century Spain it was almost impossible for an ordinary woman to make her mark, let alone leave an impression that would last down through the ages. But that’s exactly what Beatriz Galindo aka La Latina (a nickname that referred to her fluency in Latin) …
La Latina, one of Madrid’s most formidable heroines Read More »
