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Gabriel Patricio Álvarez y Pellicer
(1662–1714)

Other names: Gabriel Patricio Ramón Álvarez

Biographical

Knight of the Order of Alcántara 1703
Knight of the Order of Santiago (exchanged for Alcántara 1703)

Chief Librarian to the king 1712–14†
Officer in the Secretariat of State
Royal Secretary to the king
Secretary of the Presidency of Castile

A poet, philosopher, and librarian, some authors believe Gabriel studied at the Colegio de los Jesuitas de San Hermenegildo in Seville before abandoning his education after his parents' early deaths. He then dedicated himself to reading and writing poetry, gaining local fame for his talent, wit, and charm, as noted by his first biographer, Diego de Torres Villarroel. At thirty, shaken by religious missions in Seville, he became preoccupied with death and salvation, moved to court under the Duke of Montellano's protection, and, relying solely on self-study, mastered multiple languages and disciplines, astonishing his contemporaries. According to Torres, he rarely left his house, dedicating himself entirely to books—a lifestyle thought to have harmed his health—though his public duties often required him to break his seclusion. Gabriel’s support for Philip V during the War of Succession earned him royal favour, leading to his appointment as Chief Librarian of the Royal Library, where he was the only layman among clerical librarians. He was a founding member of the Real Academia Española and was also known as a poet and man of letters. His works remained unpublished until 1744, later appearing in the Library of Spanish Authors, though today they are largely forgotten except for a few anthologised sonnets. He was said to have died in destitution, having renounced material wealth and devoted himself to charity.

Place of birth: Seville
Place of baptism: Church of San Andrés, Seville (1662)
Place of death: Madrid

Son of Francisco Álvarez de Toledo and Luisa Pellicer.

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