«Qve tienes Granada heroyca, quien inquieta tu sossiego»: the relaciones de sucesos in the face of adversity in the Seventeenth century

Abstract

The relaciones de sucesos form part of the phenomenon of news reporting that spread throughout Europe in the seventeenth century. The printers of the time spread a new genre, which was capable of perpetuating the most diverse situations in the experience of individuals: from the catastrophes to the unhappiness that fell from the sky, the earthquakes and epidemics that affected the men and women of the century. In those moments of despair, in search of an explanation in the face of adversity, a «prodigious light» would sometimes appear as a heavenly sign illuminating a devotional image. The community prayed through it for salvation and a renewal of faith. This mentality, which logically found its expression in Granada, flooded the streets and squares of the city with joy and festivities in the hope of overcoming misfortunes through divine mediation.