ERCILLA Y ZIGA, ALONSO DE

born Aug. 7, 1533, Madrid, Spain died Nov. 29, 1594, Madrid Spanish soldier and poet, author of La Araucana (156989), the most celebrated Spanish Renaissance epic poem and the first epic poem about America. Ercilla y Ziga received an excellent literary education before going to the New World in 1555. He distinguished himself in Chile in the wars against the Araucanian Indians and began the poem based on his experiences, which he finished after his return to Spain in 1563. La Araucana appeared in three installments in 1569, 1578, and 1589 and consisted of 37 cantos; two further cantos were added in 1590. The poem is weak in form, unity, relevance, and versification, but it excels in graphic descriptions, particularly of landscapes, Araucanian leaders, and fighting. It shows great sympathy for the brave resistance of the Araucanians.