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Francisco Javier ClavijeroMexican historian, Jesuit.
Date of Birth: 09.09.1731
Country:  Mexico |
Content:
Francisco Javier Clavijero
Early Life and EducationFrancisco Javier Clavijero was a Mexican historian and Jesuit born in Veracruz in the 18th century to a Creole mother and a Spanish father. His father's royal service led to frequent relocations, exposing Clavijero to the indigenous populations of Mexico and allowing him to master the Nahuatl language.
Clavijero began his education at a Jesuit college and then entered the seminary in Puebla-de-Saragoza with the intention of becoming a priest. However, he soon joined the Jesuit order. In 1748, he moved to the Jesuit college in Tepoztlan, where he excelled in languages, studying Latin, Ancient Greek, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, and English.
Academic Career and Jesuit Life
In 1751, Clavijero returned to Puebla to pursue philosophy. He relocated to Mexico City, where he studied theology at the College of San Pedro and established connections with scholars, including Francisco Javier Alegre, Andrés Cavo, and Juan Luis Maneiro, who became known as the "Mexican Humanists of the 18th Century." In 1755, he was ordained as a Jesuit priest.
Exile and Historical Work
Following King Charles III's expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, Clavijero initially settled in Ferrara, Italy, before relocating to Bologna. Here, he dedicated his time to historical research. Lacking access to original Aztec sources and conquistadors' documents, Clavijero relied on his memory and correspondence with colleagues in Mexico.
After several years of meticulous work, Clavijero completed his monumental ten-volume history, "The Ancient History of Mexico" ("La Historia Antigua de México"). He translated the work into Italian, and in 1780, it was published in Cesena. The book went through numerous editions and translations, establishing Clavijero as one of the leading historians of his time.
