Luisa Sigea

Born around 1522 in Tarancón, Luisa Sigea de Velasco was a Spanish poet and intellectual who is often remembered as one of the major figures of Spanish humanism. She is also known as Luisa Sigea Toledana and by the Latinized name Aloysia Sygaea Toletana.

She spent much of her life at the Portuguese court in the service of Maria of Portugal, where her learning drew attention. Sources describe her as highly educated in classical and biblical languages, especially Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, which was unusual enough in her time to make her reputation spread widely.

Sigea died in Burgos in 1560. Although her life was brief, she has remained a striking example of a Renaissance woman whose scholarship and literary work earned lasting recognition.