Spanish medievalism in the 20th century: from isolationism to modernisation

Perspectives on Spanish medievalism has shifted from the scientific isolationism of the academics at the beginning of the 20th century to the modernization of the current scholars. This article analyzes this evolution, reading the five generations that can be identified during the last century: the epoque of the great scholars and of the first normalization (1900-1915), the first, ephimeral, modernization (1915-1936); the long isolationism of the post-war (1939-1960), the second and definitive modernization (1960-1980) and the development of the newest tendencies, characterized by a peculiar symbiosis between tradition and modernity (1980-2000). The essay concludes by noting the significant interactions between context and the historical text, which has conditioned the evolution of Spanish medievalism in the last century.