From Guanche leaders to artists, scientists, politicians and religious figures, Tenerife offers biographies that are key to understanding the Canaries.

Biographies linked with Tenerife show how wider Canarian processes take shape through concrete people: leaders, artists, religious figures, politicians, scientists or bearers of tradition.

Among its main reference points are Teide and sacred landscape, Historic La Laguna, Port and mobility, which connect landscape, memory and everyday life. This section connects local memory with the project's general figures section.

Key points

Bencomo, mencey of Taoro

The foremost leader of Guanche resistance to the Castilian conquest, a figure who came to symbolise the independence of the pre-Hispanic world.

Tinguaro

Brother of Bencomo and a leading warrior at the battle of La Matanza, whose death in combat opened the way to the final defeat of Guanche resistance.

José de Anchieta

A Jesuit missionary born in La Laguna who spent his apostolic life in Brazil, where he was canonised by Pope Francis in 2014.

Agustín de Bethencourt

An engineer and scientist born in Puerto de la Cruz, regarded as one of the great engineers of the nineteenth century for his works across Europe and Russia.

Óscar Domínguez

A surrealist painter born in La Laguna, a bridging figure between European surrealism and Canarian visual culture during the twentieth century.

Figures linked with Tenerife

Bencomo
History

Bencomo

Mencey of Taoro

1495

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Pedro Fernández de Lugo
History

Pedro Fernández de Lugo

Second adelantado of the Canaries

1476 - 1536

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Alonso Luis Fernández de Lugo
History

Alonso Luis Fernández de Lugo

Third adelantado of the Canaries

1506 - 1556

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Fray José de Anchieta
Religion

Fray José de Anchieta

Jesuit missionary and saint

1534 - 1597

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Fray Alonso de Espinosa
Religion

Fray Alonso de Espinosa

Friar and historian

1543 - 1600

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Antonio de Viana
Literature

Antonio de Viana

Physician and poet

1578 - 1650

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Pedro de San José de Betancur
Religion

Pedro de San José de Betancur

Missionary and saint

1626 - 1667

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Sor María de Jesús de León y Delgado
Religion

Sor María de Jesús de León y Delgado

Dominican nun and mystic

1643 - 1731

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Amaro Pargo
History

Amaro Pargo

Privateer and merchant

1678 - 1747

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José de Viera y Clavijo
History

José de Viera y Clavijo

Enlightenment historian and naturalist

1731 - 1813

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María Viera y Clavijo
Literature

María Viera y Clavijo

Poet and sculptor

1737 - 1819

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Tomás de Iriarte
Literature

Tomás de Iriarte

Neoclassical poet and fabulist

1750 - 1791

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María del Carmen Betancourt
Science

María del Carmen Betancourt

Inventor and scientist

1758 - 1824

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José Murphy
Politics

José Murphy

Politician

1774 - 1841

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Luis de la Cruz y Ríos
Art

Luis de la Cruz y Ríos

Painter, portraitist and miniaturist

1776 - 1853

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Fernando Estévez del Sacramento
Art

Fernando Estévez del Sacramento

Sculptor

1788 - 1854

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Nicolás Alfaro Brieva
Art

Nicolás Alfaro Brieva

Painter and fine arts teacher

1826 - 1905

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Victorina Bridoux
Literature

Victorina Bridoux

Poet and novelist

1835 - 1862

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Fermín Cedrés Hernández
Music

Fermín Cedrés Hernández

Musician, composer and conductor

1844 - 1927

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Ángel Guimerá
Literature

Ángel Guimerá

Playwright, poet and writer

1845 - 1924

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Juan Bethencourt Alfonso
History

Juan Bethencourt Alfonso

Anthropologist and Historian

1847 - 1913

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Teobaldo Power
Music

Teobaldo Power

Composer and pianist

1848 - 1884

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Secundino Delgado
Politics

Secundino Delgado

Canarian nationalist and journalist

1867 - 1912

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Lía Tavío Martínez
Art

Lía Tavío Martínez

Painter, poet and writer

1874 - 1965

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