Víctor Balaguer i Cirera

Víctor Balaguer i Cirera (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈbiktuɾ βələˈɣe]; 11 December 1824 – 14 January 1901) was a Spanish politician and author. A native of Barcelona, Catalonia, he was educated at the university there.

His first dramatic essay, Pepín el jorobado, was staged in Barcelona when he was fourteen, and at 19 he was publicly "crowned" after the production of his second play, Don Enrique el Dadivoso. From 1843 to 1868 he was the chief of the Liberal Party in Barcelona, and as proprietor and editor of El Conseller did much to promote the growth of Catalan nationalism. But it was not until 1857 that he wrote his first poem in Catalan – a copy of verses to the Virgin of Montserrat. He was the author of Historia de Cataluña y de la Corona de Aragón in 5 volumes (Barcelona: Salvador Manero, 1860–63).

Henceforward, he frequently adopted the pseudonym of "Lo Trovador de Montserrat"; in 1859 he helped to restore the "Jocs Florals", and in 1861 was proclaimed mestre en gay saber. He went to Madrid, took a prominent part in political life, and in 1867 emigrated to Provence.

With the 1868 Glorious Revolution and overthrow of Queen Isabella II of Spain, he returned to Spain and represented Manresa in the Cortes, and in 1871—1872 was successively Overseas Minister and Finance Minister. He resigned during the Restoration, but finally followed his party in rallying behind the Bourbon monarchy; he was appointed vice-president of the Congress, and subsequently was a senator. He died in Madrid on 14 January 1901.^[1]

• Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer

• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Balaguer, Victor" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.