Alfonso de Palencia is a representative figure of the beginnings of humanism in fifteenth-century Castile; his active participation in political life parallels his literary and historical output and makes him a perfect example of "civic humanism." The many diplomatic missions with which he was charged made him aware of the necessity, and the difficulty, of obtaining reliable information, while his personal curiosity made him an interested participant in the intellectual life of his time. He contributed to the introduction of Italian humanist thought in Castile.

In spite of these achievements, Palencia has not been accorded the scholarly attention that he merits. Several reasons can be advanced to explain this neglect: most of his works are in Latin and in limited circulation; he belonged to the Aragonese party that favored the preeminence of King Fernando (Ferdinand) over Queen Isabel (Isabella), leading the queen to choose Hernando del Pulgar as...