Beatriz Galindo was born in
Salamanca, into a family of
Zamoran origin in the lower nobility of
hidalgos; they had been wealthy but by the time of her birth were almost destitute. Her family chose her among her sisters to become a
nun, since she was fond of reading, and they allowed her to receive more education in grammar at one of the dependent institutions of the
University of Salamanca to help her career before taking her vows, but her great skill in
Latin set her on an academic career before she was twelve years old. It is likely that she was at one time a student of the great Spanish scholar
Antonio de Nebrija. She was nicknamed
La Latina for her skill in Latin, and was appointed tutor to the children of
Queen Isabella of Castile. She was tutor to five queens altogether: Isabella herself, her daughters
Isabella and
Maria (both queens of Portugal),
Catherine of Aragon, the future wife of
Henry VIII of England, and
Joanna of Castile, the future wife of
Philip of Habsburg and later known as Juana the Mad. She wrote in Latin, producing poetry and a commentary on
Aristotle. They had two children. She was one of the first women to be active in public life during
the renaissance. It is reported that she dressed in the habit of a nun or abbess. She founded the Hospital of the Holy Cross (
Santa Cruz de Madrid) in 1506 in Madrid, which still exists. She died in
Madrid, aged about 70. ==Legacy==