Luis Cabrera de Córdoba

Luis Cabrera de Córdoba (1559–1623) was a Spanish historian, court official, and writer best known for his ''Historia de Felipe II'', one of the most important contemporary chronicles of the reign of Philip II of Spain. Born in Madrid into a family with longstanding ties to royal service, Cabrera de Córdoba served in various administrative and ceremonial roles at the Habsburg court, including as ''tapicero mayor'' (chief upholsterer) to Queen Margaret of Austria. His historical writings, shaped by his insider perspective and close proximity to power, offer a detailed and often critical account of late 16th- and early 17th-century Spanish politics and court life.

His poem ''Laurentina'' was written for King Philip II. Only seven of the original 29 cantos have survived, the majority of which are about San Lorenzo. The river Tagus is the protagonist of these verses describing the woods of Aranjuez and the estates and gardens located around the monastery of El Escorial. It was part of movement of literary works that redefined the garden as an artistic endeavor. Córdoba was the son of the superintendent of the monastery gardens. Provided by Wikipedia