Juan Valera

The recorded working language is Spanish. Positions recorded include ambassador of Spain to the Kingdom of Portugal and ambassador of Spain to the United States. Work by Juan Valera is recorded in the collections of Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. Distinctions recorded are Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, Grand cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso XII and Order of Saint Januarius.

• Honorific Prefix — The Most Excellent • Name — Juan Valera y Alcalá-Galiano • Born — 18 October 1824 • Birthplace — Cabra (Córdoba), Spain • Died — 18 April 1905 • Place of death — Madrid, Spain • Occupation — Politician, diplomat

He was born at Cabra, in the province of Córdoba, and was educated at Málaga and at the University of Granada, where he took his degree in law, and then entered upon a diplomatic career (1847). Over five decades, Valera filled a number of positions in a variety of places. He accompanied the Spanish Ambassador to Naples. Afterwards, he was a member of the Spanish legations at Lisbon (1850), Rio de Janeiro (1851–53), Dresden and St. Petersburg (1854–57 with the Duke of Osuna). He wrote about the latter mission in Cartas desde Rusia, poking "gentle fun" at his fellow diplomat, Mauricio Álvarez de las Asturias Bohorques y Guiráldez, the third Duke of Gor. After his return to Madrid, he became one of the editors of the liberal journal El Contemporáneo (1859), and was appointed Minister to Frankfurt (1865). After the revolution of 1868 he was appointed Assistant Secretary of State and (1871) Director of Public Instruction. During the reign of Alphonso XII he was Minister to Lisbon (1881–83), Washington (1883–86), and Brussels (1886–88), and in 1893-95 Ambassador to Vienna. He was elected to the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in 1900. Throughout his diplomatic and political activity he produced works which rank among the highest that his country's literature contains. For purity of diction and beauty of style Valera has never been surpassed in Spain. Pepita Jiménez, which appeared as a serial in 1874, is probably his best known work; it has since been translated into many languages. It depicts the gradual realization by a young seminarian of the empty vanity of his vocation, culminating in a shattering denouement. Other novels are Las ilusions del doctor Faustino (1875), El comendador Mendoza (1877), Pasarse de listo, and Doña Luz (1879). All of the foregoing novels were written around the time when he abandoned his political activities. He was also a supporter of Iberian Federalism.

Recorded positions include ambassador of Spain to the Kingdom of Portugal, ambassador of Spain to the United States, Senator for Life of Spain, Member of the Royal Spanish Academy and Academic of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. He belonged to Royal Spanish Academy, Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences and Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques.

Juan Valera is recorded as having received Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and Grand cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso XII. Juan Valera is recorded as writer, diplomat, journalist, politician and poet. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the heading Juan Valera y Alcalá-Galiano. His recorded language was Spanish. One child is recorded: Luis Valera.