Ruiz, << roo EES, >> Juan (1283?-1350?), ranks among Spain’s important poets on the strength of a single known work. His Book of Good Love (Libro de buen amor, 1330, revised and enlarged 1343), a collection of stories in verse and song, is the most entertaining and human book in medieval Spanish literature. “Good love” in the title stands for love of God and the Virgin Mary, a popular topic in medieval Spain. However, the work is more a praise of human love than spiritual love. See Spanish literature (Early medieval literature).
Ruiz was born in Alcala de Henares and was archpriest of Hita, a small town in Castile. He probably suffered a long prison term by order of the Archbishop of Toledo. Ruiz’s Book of Good Love mingles mock allegories, tales from medieval French literature, and references to classical authors with realistic episodes.
