Published in Isabel de Villena (1430-1490)

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This article analyzes the vitae Christi written by Isabel de Villena (fifteenth century) and Cristobal de Fonseca (sixteenth century) from the the point of view of the European tradition and the reform brought about by the Franciscan order, which was in favor of reaching the people in the vernacular. Issues such as alleged femininity, use of popular language with sentimental overtones, dependence on fictions from different periods, debt to specific sources, and structuring works with a specific reader in mind are examined. After reviewing twelve specific points on those two works, it is concluded that, while not denying the enormous importance of Fonseca’s work, Isabel de Villena, institutes a literary manner that will become fundamental in the development of religious narrative in the Iberian peninsula.