Professor of Contemporary History, National Award, he published more than 70 works, including the bestselling 'Breve Historia de España.'

The historian Fernando García de Cortázar, winner of the National History Award in 2008 for his book ‘Historia de España desde el arte’ (Planeta) and author of best-selling works, such as ‘Breve Historia de España’ (Alianza, 1993), died this Sunday “unexpectedly at the age of 79,” the Society of Jesus, to which the priest also belonged, reported in a statement. The death happened around five in the morning, at the Luz hospital, in Madrid.

Fernando García de Cortázar, an affable man with a rich conversation, was born on September 4th, 1942, in Bilbao, a city in which he knew and enjoyed the best restaurants. He entered the Society of Jesus in August 1959 and was ordained a priest at Loyola in July 1971.

Prior to that, he had studied Philosophy and Letters in Salamanca and later in Loyola, where he finished his degree in 1966. He studied Theology in Madrid (1968-72) and when he graduated, he presented his doctorate in History and Theology. He was a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the University of Deusto and professor of History of Contemporary Spain at the same university, of which he was dean between 1981 and 1982. He was also professor emeritus at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences since 2007.

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