EGUÍA PRESS

   Spanish publishing firm, named for its owner, Miguel de Eguía (ca. 1495-after 1548). The firm had several locations, but its most famous center was the university town of Alcalá. Eguía began as an apprentice of the printer Arnaldo Guillen de Brocar, who moved to Alcalá to serve the new university founded there by Cardinal Ximénes de Cisneros. Eguía became manager of the press and official printer to the university after the death of Brocar in 1523. He also operated presses in Valladolid and Toledo. About 130 publications by him have been identified. He was especially important for publication of Spanish versions of works by Erasmus, giving rise to an enthusiasm for the Dutch humanist that flourished in Spain during the late 1520s and 1530s but had died away by mid-century as conservative churchmen refused to tolerate Erasmus' frank discussion of church corruption and reform ideas. Eguía also published the works of native Spanish humanists like Juan de Valdés. He was strongly committed to the personal spirituality of the mystical movement known as Illuminism. In 1531 his association with Illuminism and with the works of Erasmus led to his arrest on charges of being a secret Lutheran. He spent two years in prison but was eventually acquitted.