Joaquín Aillón (Ambato, 1712 – 1801) was a Jesuit priest, professor, and Latin-language poet from Ecuador, best known for his didactic work Compendio de arte poética. Educated at the Colegio Seminario de San Luis, he joined the Compañía de Jesús and became a distinguished scholar in the fields of Humanities, Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Theology, later teaching at the University of San Gregorio Magno. Although only a few of his Latin verses survive—some criticized for their lack of merit—his enduring legacy lies in his poetic manual, which was translated into Spanish and published by Luis Cordero in 1897. This work, grounded in classical principles and universal reason, was intended as a defense of traditional poetic values against the shifting tastes of the time and remains a valuable resource for understanding Jesuit literary culture in colonial Ecuador.
Note: The name Joaquín Aillón is also found spelled Joaquín Ayllón in several sources, including the Real Academia de la Historia’s online biography, which gives his birth and death dates as June 30, 1728 (Ambato, Ecuador) and March 4, 1808 (Rome, Italy). However, in our profile we have followed the information provided by Luis Gallo Almeida in Literatos Ecuatorianos (2nd ed., 1927), which lists his lifespan as 1712–1801. A local source cited in the newspaper La Hora, quoting Historia de la Provincia de Tungurahua by Prof. Gerardo Nicola L., also gives 1728 as the year of birth and states that he died in Italy “at the end of the 18th century.” Meanwhile, other sources, such as the Antología de poetas hispano-americanos (Madrid, 1894), mention Aillón among Ecuadorian Jesuit poets but do not provide exact dates. Despite these variations, all accounts refer to the same historical figure: a Jesuit scholar from Ambato who taught rhetoric and theology, authored a Latin treatise on poetic or rhetorical theory, and lived in exile in Italy following the Jesuit expulsion of 1767.
Joaquín Aillón was born in 1712 in Ambato, Ecuador. He pursued his early education at the Colegio Seminario de San Luis, a prominent Jesuit institution, and subsequently entered the Compañía de Jesús (Society of Jesus). Within the order, he distinguished himself in the study of Humanities and Philosophy. Aillón went on to become a professor of Rhetoric and Theology at the University of San Gregorio Magno, where he taught and authored academic texts.
His known literary output is modest. He wrote in Latin and showed a preference for the epigrammatic genre. His most enduring work is the Compendio de arte poética, a treatise composed in elegant Latin that outlines classical poetic precepts based on universal reason and taste. Although the original manuscript was in Latin, it was translated into Spanish by Luis Cordero and published in Quito in 1897. Cordero’s version made minor corrections, removed outdated poetic devices, and adapted the text for educational use in a modern context. The Compendio was valued more for its instructional content than for literary flair.
Apart from this work, Aillón is known to have written a few Latin verses, some of which were preserved by Father Juan de Velasco. These verses, directed against Don Sebastián Carvallo, a Portuguese minister associated with the Jesuit expulsion, were criticized by Juan León Mera as lacking merit. Nevertheless, they hold historical interest as a reflection of Jesuit sentiment during a period of persecution, especially in relation to the Marquis of Pombal’s campaign against the order.
His name appears in literary anthologies and histories of Jesuit poets in Ecuador, where he is recognized not for poetic brilliance but for his contributions to classical pedagogy and ecclesiastical scholarship. By the time of his death in 1801, Aillón had witnessed the suppression of the Jesuits and the decline of colonial religious institutions. His legacy, preserved mainly through his Compendio de arte poética, situates him as a figure of educational and cultural importance within the broader context of 18th-century Jesuit intellectual life in Ecuador.
Comparison of Birth and Death Dates for Joaquín Aillón / Ayllón
The table is provided to clarify the discrepancies in Joaquín Aillón’s biographical data across various historical sources. By comparing birth and death dates, spellings of his name, and other key details, readers can see how different records have preserved varying versions of the same individual’s life, while still pointing to a consistent identity.
| Source | Spelling of Name | Birth Date | Death Date | Place of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literatos Ecuatorianos (Luis Gallo Almeida, 1927) | Joaquín Aillón | 1712 | 1801 | Not specified | Gives full bio including teaching and the Compendio de arte poética. |
| Real Academia de la Historia (historia-hispanica.rah.es) | Joaquín Ayllón | June 30, 1728 | March 4, 1808 | Rome, Italy | Based on Jesuit records; includes exile timeline and connections in Italy. |
| La Hora newspaper, quoting Historia de la Provincia de Tungurahua (Gerardo Nicola L.) | Joaquín Ayllón | 1728 | “Late 18th century” | Italy | Local source; emphasizes Ambato origins and his later exile. |
| Antología de poetas hispano-americanos (RAE, 1894) | Joaquín Aillón | — | — | — | Mentions him briefly among Ecuadorian Jesuit poets; no dates provided. |
Sources
- Gallo Almeida, Luis. Literatos Ecuatorianos. 2nd ed. Quito: Editorial Universitaria, 1927. Link
- Real Academia Española. Antología de poetas hispano-americanos. Tomo III: Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia. Madrid: Est. Tip. “Sucesores de Rivadeneyra”, 1894. Link
- Gallegos Naranjo, Manuel. Parnaso Ecuatoriano: con apuntamientos biográficos de los poetas y versificadores de la República del Ecuador, desde el siglo XVII hasta el año de 1879. Quito: Imprenta de Manuel V. Flor, 1879. Link
- Aillón, Joaquín. Arte Poética. Translated from Latin to Spanish by Luis Cordero. Quito, 1894.
- La Hora. “Padre Joaquín Ayllón.” April 5, 2006. Link
- Real Academia de la Historia. “Joaquín Ayllón.” Historia Hispánica. Link