Introduction

Biography

Born in­to a no­ble fa­mi­ly, Luis was the son of judge Fran­cis­co de Ar­gote and Leo­nor de Gón­go­ra.

Góngora y Ar­go­te is one of the best known Span­ish ba­roque po­ets. He stu­died ci­vil and can­on law at the Uni­vers­ity of Sa­la­man­ca. By age 24, he was al­rea­dy known as a po­et when Mi­guel de Cer­van­tes (au­thor of Don Qui­xo­te) praised him in La Ga­la­tea.

In 1585, Gón­go­ra y Ar­go­te took mi­nor or­ders and be­came a pre­ben­da­ry of Cór­do­ba Ca­thed­ral. He took dea­con’s or­ders the fol­low­ing year.

Around 1605, he was or­dained as a priest, and sub­se­quent­ly lived in Val­la­do­lid and Ma­drid.