Benito Pérez Galdós

Benito Pérez Galdós (1843–1920) was a towering figure of Spanish literature, often ranked second only to Cervantes. Born in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, he moved to Madrid as a young man, where he began his literary career. His monumental series, Episodios Nacionales, comprises 46 historical novels that vividly chronicle 19th-century Spanish history, beginning with Trafalgar (1873). Galdós also wrote masterful realist novels such as Fortunata y Jacinta and Misericordia, which explore social class, religion, and urban life in Madrid. A member of the Royal Spanish Academy, his work influenced generations of writers. Despite political controversy and later neglect, his legacy as a chronicler of Spanish society and a pioneer of literary realism endures.