José de Viera y Clavijo

José de Viera y Clavijo was born on 28 December 1731 in Realejo Alto, Tenerife. The Biblioteca Virtual de la Filología Española documents his early studies at the Dominican convent of La Orotava, his minor ordination in La Laguna and his major ordination in Las Palmas.

Between 1757 and 1770 he served as parish priest in La Laguna and took part in local literary gatherings. In 1770 he travelled to Madrid to seek publication of his history of the Canary Islands and there became tutor to the Marquis of Viso. His journeys through France, Flanders, Italy and Germany were reflected in travel diaries published posthumously.

His Noticias de la historia general de las Islas Canarias appeared in four volumes between 1772 and 1783. The Diccionario de Historia Natural de las Islas Canarias was published posthumously in 1866-1869 and covers the animal, plant and mineral worlds. He was appointed archdeacon of Fuerteventura in 1782. He died in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 21 February 1813.