Francesc Eiximenis

Francesc Eiximenis (Catalan pronunciation: [fɾənˈsɛsk əʃiˈmɛnis]) (OFM) was a Franciscan Catalan writer that lived in the XIVth century Crown of Aragon. He was possibly one of the medieval Catalan writers that had more success, since his works were widely read, copied, published and translated. Therefore, it can be said tat both in the literary and in the political sphere he had a lot of influence. Among his readers important people of his time can be found, such as the kings of the Crown of Aragon Peter IV, John I and Martin I, the queen Maria de Luna (wife of Martin I), and the Pope of Avignon Benedict XIII.

Life

Francesc Eiximenis was born around 1330 maybe in Girona. As he was very young, he became a Franciscan. His education began in the Franciscan schools from Catalonia. Afterwards, he went to the most important universities of Europe: the University of Oxford and the University of Paris. The University of Oxford influenced him notably, since the Franciscans had there an important school. Thus, several English Franciscans (and British authors in general) are the thinkers that influenced Eiximenis most. We can mention for instance Robert Grosseteste (whom Eiximenis calls Linconiensis, since he was bishop of Lincoln), John of Wales, Richard Kilvington, Alexander of Hales, Richard of Middleton, Thomas Bradwardine, William of Ockham, John Duns Scotus.

Title page of the incunable edition of the Regiment de la Cosa Pública (Valencia, Cristòfor Cofman, 1499). On the right Francesc Eiximenis can be seen. He offers his book to the jurats of Valencia. On the left the gardian angel of the city and kingdom of Valencia can be seen. The six Jurats de Valencia are kneeled down in front of the Serrans gothic gate of the ancient wall of Valencia.

In 1371 there was an attempt to bring him to the University of Lleida as a teacher. But he lacked the title of Doctor in Theology (magister in sacra pagina), and so this attempt did not go further. Eiximenis got this title in the University of Toulouse in 1374, with the financial help and support from the king Peter IV.

Then Eiximenis came back to Catalonia, and there he was very considered as intellectual. He was on good terms with the Court of the Crown Of Aragon and also with the ruling social class of Barcelona and València. Most of his works were written in Valencia, where he stayed from 1382 to 1408. There he as consultant of the jurats (the city representatives) and of the Consell (ruling organ of the city).

In Valencia Eiximenis' activity, besides his literary tasks, was tireless. 1391 was a very difficoult year for the city and kingdom of Valencia, since there were many social problems. Then Eiximenis organized a kind of praying army in some monasteries and convents around Valencia. In 1392 he and other people received the assignment of checking the Jewish books that were stolen during the 1391 Pogrom. At te end of 1397 he was member of a commission that should advise king Martin I about the Western Schism. In 1397 and 1398 he undertook the organization of two crusades of Valencians and Majorcans against the Muslim pirates of North Africa. In 1399 Eiximenis was also president of a commission that sought to unify all the schools of Valencia. The Consell (ruling organ of Valencia) rejected that in 1400, but this attempt was anyway a clear first step towards the University of Valencia, that was founded officially in 1499. The last years of Eiximenis in Valencia (1404–1408) were devoted to the foundation and endowment of the Franciscan convent of Sant Esperit (in Gilet, near Sagunto). This convent was founded by the queen Maria de Luna.

In 1408 Eiximenis took part in the Council of Perpignan. There the Pope of Avignon Benedict XIII appointed him first Patriarch of Jerusalem and later apostolic administrator (interim bishop) of the diocese of Elna (ancient name of the diocese of Perpignan).

Eiximenis died in Perpignan in Abril 1409.

Works

In Catalan

Eiximenis wrote the following works in Catalan:

• Tractat d'usura (Treaty about Usury). Short treatise about usury according to the Canon Law. This matter was very debated in the Middle Ages by many scholars.
• Lo Crestià (The Christian). According to Curt Wittlin the name should be Lo Cristià. It was a huge project of Summa Theologica written in popular speech. The original project consisted in 13 books, but only 4 books were written:
  • Primer del Crestià (First of the Christian). It deals with the fundamentals of Christianity.
  • Segon del Crestià (Second of the Christian). It deals with the temptation.
  • Terç del Crestià (Third of the Christian). It deals with the different kinds of sin and its remedies.
  • Dotzè del Crestià (Twelfth of the Christian). It deals with government and politics in general. Nevertheless the content is encyclopedical.
• Regiment de la cosa pública (Government of the Republic). It was a gift that Eiximenis gave to the jurats(representatives of the city) of Valencia, when he went to Valencia in 1383. It is about advices for a good government. This work has a lot of influencie of John of Wales' Communiloquium sccording to Albert Hauf. This work was also included as the third part of the Dotzè del Crestià.
• Llibre dels àngels (Book of Angels). It is a very complete about angelology but with several political thoughts. This book was dedicated to the Valencian knight Pere d'Artés.
• Llibre de les dones (Book of Women). In the beginning it is just a book about women's education. But four fifths of this work deal about theology and the fundamentals of Catholic morality. This book was dedicated to the countess of Prades, Sanxa Ximenes d'Arenós.
• Vida de Jesucrist (Life of Jesus Christ). It is a biography of Jesus Christ with theological thoughts and also contemplative content. This work was very influenced by the Pseudo-Bonaventura's Mediationes Vitae Christi and also by the vehement Franciscan Ubertino da Casale according to Albert Hauf. This book was also dedicated to the Valencian knight Pere d'Artés.
• Scala Dei or Tractat de contemplació (Stairs towards God or Treatise about Contemplation). It is a short treatise about moral and theology. This book was dedicated to the queen Maria de Luna.
• Two autograph letters in Catalan (from 15 July 1392 and 12 March 1396). The first one (15 July 1392) was addressed to the king Martin I (who in that moment was only prince), and it is interesting, since Eiximenis gives him some advises in this letter about the good government in Sicily.

In Latin

Eiximenis wrote the following works in Latin:

• De Triplici Statu Mundi (About the three states of the world). It is a short eschatological treatise. There are doubts however, that Eiximenis is the author of this work.
• Allegationes (Statements). In Valencia there was a conflict between the Church and the State, and several important people were asked to express their opinon about that. This is the part concerns Eiximenis. Here Eiximenis a very strong theocratic point of view.
• A short part of his Summa Theologica. This extract is very short, and deals with some theological matters.
• Ars Praedicandi Populo (Manual for the preaching to the people). It is a very interesting manual about preaching.
• A sermon (or a part of it).
• Pastorale (Pastoral). It deals with advice for priests and bishops, and it follows the classical Saint Gregory's Pastorale. This book was dedicated to Hug de Llupià, bishop of Valencia.
• Psalterium alias Laudatorium Papae Benedicto XIII dedicatum (Psalter or Doxology Dedicated to the Pope Benedict XIII). It is a very beautiful collection of 344 prayers. As the title shows, this book was dedicated to the Avignon pope Benedict XIII.

There are two other books that have been attributed to Eiximenis: the Cercapou, and the Doctrina compendiosa. The Doctrina Compendiosa shows however a very strong influence from Eiximenis' political theories. there was also an adaptation of Llibre de las Dones in Spanish, which was called Carro de las Donas.

Eiximenis' works had a lot of success in his time, as the more than 200 manuscripts of his works that have arrived to us show. Another example was the Psaltiri devotíssim (Translation into Catalan of 100 out of the 344 prayers of the Psalterium alias Laudatorium). The incunabulum edition of this book had 2000 copies, i.e. more than the double of both editions of the Tirant lo Blanc (Valencia 1490 and Barcelona 1497). Therefore it was the biggest incunabulum edition of the whole medieval Catalan literature.

There were also a lot of translations during the XVth and XVIth centuries. The Llibre de les Dones was translated into Spanish. One of the Spanish translations was used for the education of the four daughters of the Catholic Kings. The Llibre dels Àngels had a great international success, and it was translated into several languages: Spanish, Latin, French and even Flemish (it was possibly the only book from the medieval Catalan literature that was translated into that language). And the Vida de Jesucrist was translated into Spanish and French.

There are finally two other examples that show the international spreading of Eiximenis' works. First of all, the French translation of the Llibre dels Àngels was the first book that in 1478 was printed in Geneva. Secondly, the Spanish translation of the Vida de Jesucrist was the first book that was printed in Granada in 1496 after the conquest of the city by the Catholic Kings.

Unfortunately we have few modern editions of Eiximenis' works. Most of the modern editions of his works have been prepared by Curt Wittlin and by Albert Hauf.

Beginning of the Terç del Crestià in the manuscript 1792 from the National Library of Madrid. This manuscript has the chapters 1-523 from this book (which has totally 1060 chapters).

Digital editions of his works

Manuscripts

• [1] First half (chapters 1-523) of the Terç del Crestià (BNC, ms. 457).
• [2] Llibre dels Àngels (University of Barcelona, Fons de reserva, ms. 86).
• [3] Vida de Jesucrist (BNC, mss. 459-460).
• [4] Scala Dei (University of Barcelona, Fons de reserva, ms. 88).

Incunabula

• [5] Primer del Crestià (Valencia, Lambert Palmart, 1483).
• [6] First half (chapters 1-473) of the Dotzè del Crestià (Valencia, Lambert Palmart, 1484).
• [7] Regiment de la cosa pública, (Valencia, Cristòfor Cofman, 1499).
• [8] Llibre dels àngels, (Barcelona, Joan Rosembach, 1494).
• [9] Llibre de les Dones, (Barcelona, Joan Rosembach, 1495).
• [10] Traducció castellana de la Vida de Jesucrist, (Granada, Meinard Ungut and Johannes Pegnitzer, 1496).
• [11] Translation into Spanish of the Llibre dels àngels (The title is Libro de los santos ángeles. Burgos, Fadrique de Basilea, 1490).
• [12] Pastorale (Barcelona, Pere Posa, 1495).
• [13] Scala Dei (Barcelona, Diego de Gumiel, 1494).

Old editions

• [14] Translation into Spanish of the Llibre dels Àngels (The title is La Natura Angélica. Alcalá de Henares, Miguel de Eguía, 1527).

Modern editions and transcripts

• [15] Pastorale. Transcript and translation into Catalan. Montserrat Martínez Checa's doctorate thesis (UAB, Bellaterra, 1994).
• [16] De triplici statu mundi (Edition by Albert Hauf).
• [17] Summa theologica (Edition by León Amorós, OFM).
• [18] Autograph letters (15.07.1392 und 12-03.1396. Edition by Sadurní Martí).
• [19] Psalterium alias Laudatorium (Toronto, PIMS, 1988. Edition by Curt Wittlin).
• [20] Lo Llibre de les Dones (Barcelona, Curial, 1981. Edition by Curt Wittlin).
• [21] De Sant Miquel Arcàngel (5th treaty from the Llibre dels Àngels. Barcelona, Curial, 1983. Edition by Curt Wittlin).

Complete works

• Francesc Eiximenis' complete works (in Catalan and Latin).

External links

Digital biographies

• (Catalan) Eiximenis' biography in www.eiximenis.tk
• (Spanish) Eiximenis' biography in www.eiximenis.tk
• (Catalan) Information about Francesc Eiximenis in Narpan.
• (Catalan) Información sobre Francesc Eiximenis in the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya website.
• (Catalan) Information about Francesc Eiximenis in the CulturCat website, that depends on the Generalitat de Catalunya. There are also versions available

(Spanish) in Spanish, (English) in English, (French) in French and (Occitan) in Occitan

• (Spanish) "Francesc Eiximenis" entry in the Enciclopedia Franciscana website. There are many biographical articles about Francesc Eiximenis.

Digital articles about Eiximenis

• (Spanish) Fray Francisco Eiximenis : Su significación religiosa, filosófico-moral, política y social, Tomás Carreras Artau's article in Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Gironins 1 (1946).
• (Spanish) Perfil espiritual de Eiximenis Article of the Capuchin friar Nolasc del Molar in Revista de Girona 22 (1963).
• (Italian) L’autocomprensione della comunità politica in Francesc Eiximenis, Paolo Evangelisti's article, in Enrahonar 42 (2009).
• (Spanish) Orígenes del pactismo republicano, Article about Francesc Eiximenis from Salvador Giner (Presidente del Institute of Catalan Studies), in El País (13.01.2010).

Digital books about Eiximenis

• (Catalan) Lluís Brines' doctorate thesis about Eiximenis' political and social thought.