Juan Rodríguez Freyle
Juan Rodríguez Freyle (also written as Juan Rodríguez Freile), (Bogotá, New Kingdom of Granada, 25 April 1566 - Bogotá, 1642) was an early writer in the New Kingdom of Granada, the Spanish colonial territory of what today is Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. The son of a soldier in the army of Pedro de Ursúa, Rodríguez Freyle knew the cacique of Guatavita and the founder of Bogotá: Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. His major work El Carnero is a collection of stories, anecdotes and rumours about the early days of the New Kingdom of Granada and the demise of the Muisca Confederation. It is one of the most important sources for the sixteenth century Spanish period of present-day Colombia.
Juan Rodríguez Freyle | |
|---|---|
Painting of Juan Rodríguez Freyle | |
| Born | April 25, 1566 Bogotá, New Kingdom of Granada |
| Died | 1642 (aged 75–76) Bogotá, New Kingdom of Granada |
| Language | Spanish |
| Nationality | Colombian |
| Subjects | Spanish conquest of the Muisca Spanish conquest of the Chibchan Nations El Dorado |
| Notable work | El Carnero - Conquista y descubrimiento del Nuevo Reino de Granada de las Indias Occidentales del Mar Océano, y Fundación de la ciudad de Santafé de Bogotá, primera de este reino donde se fundó la Real Audiencia y Cancillería, siendo la cabeza se hizo su arzobispado (1638, first published in 1859) |
| Spouse | Francisca Rodríguez |
| Relatives | Juan Freyle (father) Catalina Rodríguez (mother) |
Juan Rodríguez Freyle was married to Francisca Rodríguez and died in Bogotá in 1642.