Juan Díaz Covarrubias

Juan Díaz Covarrubias
(Xalapa, 1837 – Mexico City, 1859).
Born	27 December 1837 MEX Xalapa, Mexico
Died	11 April 1859 (Aged 22) MEX Mexico City, Mexico
Occupation	Poet, politician
Period	Romanticism
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Juan Díaz Covarrubias (27 December 1837 – 11 April 1859) was a Mexican writer and poet of liberal ideology. He was one of the Martyrs of Tacubaya that were executed during the war of Reform.

Biography

Diaz Covarrubias was born in Xalapa, Veracruz on 27 December 1837, son of the poet José of Jesús Díaz from whom he received his artistic influence, since it accustomed to organise social gatherings in his home. In 1848 he moved together with his family to the City of Mexico.He enrolled into School of Letrán mayoring in Philosophy and Latin.He became friends with the student of laws Manuel Mateos —twin of Juan Antonio Mateos—, and with Ignacio Manuel Altamirano. He was pupil of Ignacio Ramírez.^[1]

Despite having shown a great interest in literature and poetry, in 1852 Covarrubias began to study for a career in medicine. He affiliated to the Liberal Party. Simultaneously published articles and poems in the newspapers The Republican Monitor, The Century Ten and Nine and the Newspaper of Warnings.

When listening the rumours of the imminent clash between liberal and conservative troops in Tacubaya, decided to assist to the place to offer his medical services to the troops of Santos Degollado. The battle of Tacubaya resulted to be a victory for the conservative army comandado by Leonardo Márquez. Finished the contention, the general Miguel Miramón ordered to execute to the liberal officials that had been apprehended. Been due to an excess committed by the soldadesca of Márquez, in addition to the officials and soldiers, were executed doctors and civil. Covarrubias and his fellow Mateos died in the paredón in Tacubaya, Federal District on 11 April 1859.^[2] The shooting of Díaz Covarrubias and the one of the martyrs of Tacubaya was criticised strongly by Francisco Zarco in The Century Ten and Nine. Manuel Coins called it "the Poet Martyr".^[3]

The population of San Juan Sugar, of the municipality of Hueyapan of Ocampo, in Veracruz, was baptised in his honour on 20 May 1938.^[4]

Also Chalco de Díaz Covarrubias,city that is municipal seat of the surrounding municipality of Chalco, added the surname of the poet to its name, as a tribute of his labor.

Cover of the book Works of Juan Díaz Covarrubias, 1902.

Inheritance

He belonged to the romanticism movement. Is considered one of the pioneers of the Mexican historical novel. In spite of his short life, wrote numerous poems, several tales and three novels:

• Gil Gómez the insurgent
• The half class
• The devil in Mexico
• "The azucena and the violet"
• "The sensitiva"
• "Juvenile episode"

In 1959, when fulfilling the centenary of his death, the historian Clementina Díaz and of Ovando compiled his Complete Works.

References