Valdés, Juan de

(c. 1500–41)

   Theologian.

   Valdés was born in Cuenca, Spain, and was educated at Alcalá University. Influenced by both erasmus and luther, he recognised the need for reform in the Church, but nevertheless he remained a Roman Catholic. He was the author of the Diálogo de Doctrina Cristiana and Las Ciento Diez Divinas Consideraciones, which was later translated into English from the Italian version by Nicholas ferrar. He was forced to flee to Italy in 1531 where he became the centre of a reforming group based on the household of Giulia Gonzaga, a Cardinal’s sister. After his death, several of his associates, including peter martyr, joined the Protestants. Juan’s twin brother, Alfonso, was another important humanist. He was the author of the Diálogo de Lactancio y un Arcediano, which was highly critical of the Papacy.

   J.E. Longhurst, Erasmus and the Spanish Inquisition: The Case of Juan de Valdes (1950);

   J.C. Nieto, Juan de Valdes and the Origin of the Spanish and Italian Reformation (1970).