Juan de Mena (1411–1456) was one of the most significant Spanish poets of the fifteenth century. He was highly regarded at the court of Juan II de Castilla, who appointed him veinticuatro (one of twenty-four aldermen) of Córdoba, secretario de cartas latinas (secretary of Latin letters) and cronista real (royal chronicler). His works show the influence of Renaissance humanism and place him in the period of transition in Spain from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
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Juan de Mena in the context of Rapier
A rapier (/ˈreɪpiər/) is a type of sword originally used in Spain (known as espada ropera, 'dress sword') and Italy (known as spada da lato a striscia). The name designates a sword with a straight, slender and sharply pointed two-edged long blade wielded in one hand. Known for its elegant design and intricate hilt, it was widely popular in Western Europe throughout the 16th and 17th centuries as a symbol of nobility or gentleman status.
It is called espada ropera because it was carried as an accessory to clothing, generally used for fashion and as a weapon for dueling, self-defense and as a military side arm. Its name is of Spanish origin and appears recorded for the first time in the Coplas de la panadera, by Juan de Mena, written approximately between 1445 and 1450:
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