Juan de Valladolid
Encyclopedia
Juan de Valladolid (1420–?), also known as Juan Poeta ("John the poet"), was a Castilian
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...

 poet. Born Jewish, he converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

 later in life. As a Marrano
Marrano
Marranos were Jews living in the Iberian peninsula who converted to Christianity rather than be expelled but continued to observe rabbinic Judaism in secret...

, or baptized Jew, he married a Christian woman named Jamila. Some say he later married a Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...

 woman in Fez.

His apostasy being widely known, contemporary poets refer to him invariably as "Juan el Judio" ("John the Jew") and he was held in high regard by Queen Isabella
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...

 of Spain. His poems are scattered throughout various collections, including the Cancionero de Antón de Montoro.
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