The evolution of the genre of the lives of Mary in the sixteenth century

Although the genre of the lives of Mary was consolidated in the late fifteenth century in the Hispanic context, it evolved significantly throughout the next century, influenced directly by the controversies and theological discourses surrounding the cult of the Virgin and the saints. After reviewing the characteristics of the genre, this paper focuses on the main causes that fostered and conditioned its evolution. The features that differentiate the main Marian texts appearing after the celebration of the Council of Trent from the previous ones are then analyzed. The aspects that reflect the continuity and the consolidation of the genre, as well as its main changes (in terms of subject matter, form, diffusion and language) due to the adaptation to the new doctrinal precepts are also discussed.