GALLEGO, gi-yi'go, Juan Nicasio, Span ish poet: b. Zamora, 14 Dec. 1777; d. Madrid, 9 Jan. 1853. He was possessed of great natural poetical talent; but he was careless and, in a sense, indolent so that his life's work does not correspond to his talents. Graduated from the University of Salamanca, he entered the Church and became Court chaplain in 1805. It was in Madrid that he became acquainted with Quintana and Cienfuegos and other men of literary and other note. This friendship en couraged him to literary exertions, which were broken by the entrance of the French into Mad rid in 1808. On this occasion Gallego wrote 'El dos de mayo,' one of his best known poems. Losing his position on account of the political changes at this time, he soon became noted as one of the best poets of Spain. His burning patriotism and love of independence coupled with his fight for the freedom of Spain appealed to the nation; and his compositions were passed from hand to hand throughout the land and read in every household. On the re turn of the French to Madrid, Gallego went to Seville and from there finally to Cadiz; where he seems to have led a rather active existence until the return to power of the Spanish gov ernment in 1814. In 1810 he was elected deputy
from the Isle of Le6n to the•Cortes and he gave so much attention to his political duties that he had apparently little time left for literary work. On account of this political activity, he was imprisoned for 18 months on the return to the throne of Fernando VII, in a public prison, af ter which he was sent to Cartuja de Jerez, where he was held until 1816, when, owing to his ill health, he was taken to La Luz Monas tery at Moguer, and later to Loreto Convent in Seville, where he remained until he was freed by the revolution in 1820. Shortly afterward he was appointed Archdeacon of Valencia, a position he held until he was deposed by royal order, in opposition to the laws of the Church, and on account of his former political activities, and he was compelled to go to Barcelona, then held by the French; and from there he went to France on the retirement of the French. Later on he returned to Spain and was ap pointed Canon of Seville.