FLOREZ

florez, enrique (1701-1773), spanish historian, was born at valladolid on the 14th of february 1701. in his fifteenth year he entered the order of st augustine, was afterwards professor of theology at the university of alcala, and published a _cursus theologiae_ in five volumes (1732-1738). he afterwards devoted himself to historical studies. of these the first-fruit was his _clave historial_, a work of the same class as the french _art de verifier les dates_, and preceding it by several years. it appeared in 1743, and passed through many editions. in 1747 was published the first volume of _espana sagrada, teatro geografico-historico de la iglesia de espana_, a vast compilation of spanish ecclesiastical history which obtained a european reputation, and of which twenty-nine volumes appeared in the author's lifetime. it was continued after his death by manuel risco and others, and further additions have been made at the expense of the spanish government. the whole work in fifty-one volumes was published at madrid (1747-1886). its value is considerably increased by the insertion of ancient chronicles and documents not easily accessible elsewhere. florez was a good numismatist, and published _medallas de las colonias_ in 2 vols. (1757-1758), of which a third volume appeared in 1773. his last work was the _memorias de las reynas catolicas_, 2 vols. (1770). florez led a retired, studious and unambitious life, and died at madrid on the 20th of august 1773. see f. mendez, _noticia de la vida y escritos de henrique florez_ (madrid, 1780).