Geographical classification

Europe > Spain

Socio-cultural movements

Early modern period > Humanism

Groups by dedication

Humanistics > Intellectuals

Writers > Story writers

Clerical or spiritual women > Spiritualists

Character

Àngela Almenar i Monfort

(Na Monforta)

Unknown c. 1500 ‖ Unknown c. 1560

Period of activity: From 1550 until 1560

Geographical classification: Europe > Spain

Socio-cultural movements

Early modern period > Humanism

Groups by dedication

Humanistics > Intellectuals

Writers > Story writers

Clerical or spiritual women > Spiritualists

Context of feminine creation

Angela Almenar is part of the group of humanist, erudites and intellectuals who counted with a good family training, puellae doctae, in the context of the 16th century. Amongst these women, we highlight a series of distinguished women in the Valencian cultural sphere: Anna Cervató, who is known to have maintained literary correspondence -in Latin- with humanists such as Lucio Marineo; Àngela de Carlet, disciple of the humanist Joan Andreu Estrany, well versed in Latin and Greek, who is claimed to have written epistles and prayers in Latin; Àngela Mercader Sabata, Senyora d’Argeleta, with a literary circle at her home; Jerònima Ribot i Ribelles, who knew Latin and Greek and maintained epistolary contact with intellectuals of the time; and Jerónima de Virués, considered a Latin expert who had a learned familial context.

We must closely link Angela Almenar with Jerónima Galés, printer and writer of a printed sonnet in the book known as Libro de las historias y cosas acontescidas… (Book of stories and happenings) They both had an intense intellectual relationship and friendship.

In this context we should also speak about the Valencian Hipòlita Roís de Liori (València, 1479 - Madrid, 1546), countess of Palamós, author of an important bureaucratic and familial epistolary legacy, and whose correspondence with her daughter, Estefania de Requesens (Unknown, c. 1504 - Barcelona, 1549), must be highlighted.

Review

Valencian woman in the 16th century, married to lawyer Bartolomé Monfort. She founded the parish of l’Assumpció de la Verge, known as Col·legi de Na Monforta, in the street of Les Barques in Valencia. Sources indicate that she wrote the "Constitutions" for the centre's government in Catalan language, as well as an Anti-Kuran and Christian dialogues.

Justifications

She founded the school Na Monforta, in the street of Les Barques in Valencia.
She wrote the "Constitutions" for the Na Monforta school's government, an Anti-Koran and Christian dialogues.
Humanist author in Catalan language whose works have disappeared.
She had a close friendship with the Valencian printer Jerònima de Gales.
Important to study the role of women in the 16th century.

Biography

Woman native of Valencia. She should be situated around the years 1550-1560, period in which she is documented to have died. She was married to Bartolomé Monfort, doctor in both laws, lawyer in the courts in the City and Kingdom of Valencia. She became widowed with no descendents. Angela founded the parish of l’Assumpció de la Verge. She seems to have written the "Constitutions" of the laudable School of l’Assumpció de la Verge Mare de Déu, known by the name School of Na Monforta, in the street of Les Barques in Valencia, which she founded in 1554. The constitutions where translated into Latin and with small changes to Spanish (Constituciones del loable colegio de la Assumpcion..., by Bernardo Nogues, 1661 and Antonio Bordázar, 1728). The original Valencian constitutions have not been found.

Sources claim that she wrote an Anti-Kuran and other Christian dialogues against the Muhammadan religion, possibly in her mother tongue (Valencian). They haven't been found nowadays.

Works

The "Constitutions" of the laudable School of l’Assumpció de la Verge Mare de Déu, known as Na Monforta, founded and established in Valencia, by Juan Mey Flandro (1561). The constitutions where translated into Latin and Spanish. The original Valencian ones have not been found.

Sources claim that she wrote an Anti-Kuran and other Christian dialogues against the Muhammadan religion, possibly in her mother tongue (Valencian). Not found.

Bibliography

Genovés y Olmos, Eduardo (1911). Bibliografía valenciana. Catalech descriptiu de les obres impreses en llengua valenciana desde 1474 fins 1700. València: Impremta de Manuel Pau, vol. I.

Gregori Roig, Rosa M. (2012). La impresora Jerònima Galés i els Mey (València, segle XVI). València: Biblioteca Valenciana.

Herrero Herrero, María Ángeles (dir.) (2021). Escriptores valencianes de l’Edat Moderna, portal temàtic de la Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes, 27-03-2022 https://www.cervantesvirtual.com/portales/escriptores_valencianes_edat_moderna/angela_almenar_monfort/

Martí i Ascó, Manuel (2013). «Cultura literària de la dona en la València dels segles XVI i XVII», Scripta, 1 , pp. 121-137.

Pastor Fuster, Justo (1980). Biblioteca valenciana de los escritores que florecieron hasta nuestros días: con adiciones y enmiendas a la de D. Vicente Ximeno. Valencia: Librerías París-Valencia, vol. I.

Rodríguez, Josep (1977). Biblioteca Valentina. València: Eliseu Climent.

Serrano y Sanz, Manuel (1975). Apuntes para una biblioteca de autoras españolas desde el año 1401 al 1833. Madrid: Atlas, vol. I.

Ximeno, Vicente (1980). Escritores del reyno de Valencia chronologicamente ordenados desde el año MCCXXXVIII de la christiana conquista de la misma ciudad hasta el de MDCCXLVII. València: Librerías París-Valencia, vol. I.

Zaragoza Gómez, Verònica (2017). “Lectores, sàvies i escriptores en el temps de Jerònima Galés. La cultura escrita femenina a València en el pas del segle XV al XVI”, Pasiones bibliográficas II. València: Societat Bibliogràfica Valenciana Jerònima Galés, pp. 147-163.

Didactic approach

There are no works available by this author but her personal reference can be included in the chronological period corresponding to the 16th century in relation to the role of women, both in literature (Catalan, Spanish and universal) and history.

She is also a clear example of how female written works disappear with time and only secondary references which speak about them are kept instead of the original texts.