Joseph Lezamis y la identidad vascongada en el s. XVII

Abstract

In honour of José María Aycart, here are some points to consider regarding the texts written and sponsored by the Basque community in Mexico in the 17 th Century with the aim of reasserting their identity. Specifically, the article refers to an author who has gone unnoticed, Joseph de Lezamis, a priest belonging to the family of the Archbishop Aguiar, who published his work Life of the Apostle Saint James the Elder in 1699, which is more well-known as it includes the first biography of the prelate. However, for our purposes, it is important to note that in the third part of the book there is an essay on the history of the Basques which highlights the uniqueness of their customs, their language and services to the monarchy, in Europe, America and Asia. The final chapter contains the articles of the Catholic faith and the most important prayers in Basque.