Home > Leandro Fernández de Moratín

Born in Madrid, he was the son of Nicolás Fernández de Moratín (1737-1780) who was considered Spain's first liberal poet. As such, Leandro grew up in a literary environment and became an admirer of the French Encyclopédistes. In addition to translating works of Molière and William Shakespeare into Spanish, he himself was a satirist who is viewed as the most influential figure of the Spanish Enlightenment . Early in his career his writings were supported by statesman and author Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos who in 1787 arranged for him to work and study for a year in Paris, France. In 1792, the Spanish government provided the funds for him to travel through France, England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy in order to expose him to other dramatists of the day.

A supporter of Joseph Bonaparte, whose rule had allowed far more liberal thinking than what Spain's Roman Catholic church was willing to tolerate, Leandro Fernández de Moratín was given the post of royal librarian. His 1806 writing, El sí de las niñas (The Maidens' Consent) was denounced upon the reinstatement of the Inquisition after King Ferdinand VII regained the throne. Fernández de Moratín had to abandon playwriting and was forced into exile in France after the fall of the Bonapartes.

Leandro Fernández de Moratín died in Paris, France in 1828 and was buried there in the Père Lachaise Cemetery. However, at the turn of the 20th century, his remains were brought back to Spain for interrment in Madrid's Panteón de Hombres Ilustres (Pantheon of Illustrious Men).

His portrait, see here, was painted by Francisco GoyaThis article is about Francisco Goya a Spanish painter. For other uses of the name Goya, see Goya (disambiguation Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes ( March 30, 1746 April 15, 1828) was a Spanish painter and engraver. He was born in Fuendetodos and later in 1799.