The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Lafuente y Zamalloa, Modesto

LAFUENTE Y ZAMALLOA, lạ'fwān'tā ē thä-mal-yō'ạ, Modesto, Spanish historian: b. Ravanal de los Caballeros, 1 May 1806; d. 25 Oct. 1866. After receiving his education in philosophy and theology he was appointed professor of philosophy at the University of Astorga (1832), and two years later succeeded to the chair of theology there. Abandoning this some years afterward, he went to Madrid where he began writing political and theatrical criticisms for the newspapers, under the pen names of Fray Gerundio and Pelegrin Tirabeque. These essays were collected as &lsquo;Capilladas&rsquo; (1837-40) and as &lsquo;Teatro social del siglo XIX&rsquo; (1846). But his chief title to fame rests on his &lsquo;Historia general de España&rsquo; (30 vols., 1850-67), a monumental work, later edited and revised by Juan Valera (25 vols., 1887-90). Other historical works by Lafuente include &lsquo;Viaje aërostático de Fray gerundio y Tirabeque&rsquo; (1847), and &lsquo;Revista europea&rsquo; (1848-49).