The Golden Age of Northern Basque Literature (17th Century)

17th Century Basque Literature: Northern Renaissance

The 17th century marked a significant advance in Basque literature (liburugintza) within the Northern Basque Country (Iparralde). While publications existed in the South, they did not reach the quantity or quality level achieved in the North. This disparity is often traced back to economic reasons.

Profits generated from Newfoundland fishing were invested, leading to a significant improvement in the quality of life along the Lapurdian coast. Furthermore, the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants had subsided, and the Catholic majority regained prominence. Many authors were active during this century, particularly among the communities forming the triangle of Saint Loizune (referring to the region of influence).

Joannes Etxeberri of Ziburu (Ziburukoa)

Etxeberri, a respected scholar, held a doctorate title. His literary output consisted solely of verse. His major works include:

1. Manuel Debotionezkoa: This work addresses doctrinal issues and features various prayers. It was specifically tailored for sailors and fishermen.
2. Noel and the rest of the new spiritual songs: Primarily Christmas songs, but also covering episodes from the life of Jesus Christ and dedicated to various Saints.
3. Use the church's book: A book intended for the benefit of parishioners.

Pedro de Axular: Master of Basque Prose

Born in Urdazubi, Navarre, Pedro de Axular studied at Salamanca University. He was ordained a priest and served as rector in Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Donibanelohizunera) before winning the parish of Sara in 1600.

Axular was a great preacher (sermoilari) and a prolific writer with a rich vocabulary. He was highly regarded; his extraordinary rhetorical skill was recognized by the authorities (“Competent hands of his majesty”).

His style features relatively few long and complicated sentences, favoring instead short, compact structures that always convey a clear and understandable message. He often illustrates the beautiful yet dangerous temptation for Christians to postpone their religious obligations until tomorrow.

To express his ideas effectively, Axular utilized examples, synonyms, and interspersed classical references.

Allande Oihenart: Jurist, Historian, and Poet

Allande Oihenart was born in Maule, the capital of Soule (Zuberoa), into a family of officials and jurists. He pursued a career in law, gaining important positions first in Soule. He later married Joan, the wealthy widow of the noble Erdoi of Lower Navarre.

Oihenart contributed significantly to history and literature:

• Historical Work: His book, Utrisque Vasconiae Notitia, provides historical accounts of towns in both the North and South Basque regions.
• Literary Theory: He wrote a literary treatise, Poetique Art World (likely L'Art Poétique).
• Poetry and Proverbs: He merged proverbs and poetry into a single published collection: Atsotitzak and neurtitzak (Proverbs and Verses).

Love was his primary subject matter (kantagai). His style was characterized by accelerated speech; he was never an incomprehensible purist (garbizale ulerkaitz). His approach to language and metrics was less constrained than that of other Basque poets (bertsogileekin), and consequently, he did not gain many immediate followers.