Historical Science and the Royal Academy during the Spanish Age of Enlightenment: The Rise of the Collective Author

Abstract

The concept of “shadow author” enables different approaches, from perspectives which question the presence or absence of an individual author in relation with his work, to reflections on a collective authorship that allows the presence of the author in multiple forms. Our proposal focuses on the erudition work, criticism and retrieval of historical sources performed in the 18th century in Spain. Many clerics and seculars, scholars or amateurs, statesmen or mere advantaged scribblers assumed the role of shadow authors and contributed to a collective effort of national renewal featured by the struggle between tradition and innovation. The new rulers led the reformist agenda program with the collaboration of literates and of certain institutions created to foster progress and common good, among them the Royal Academies. Our work will concentrate on the projects of compilation of historical sources that were promoted within the Royal Academy of History. Dictionaries, repertoires and instrumental collections approach us to the nature, justification, objectives and milestones of a collective authorship model that half-hidden, certainly represents the cultural practices of the Spanish Age of Enlightenment.