José Ignacio Javier Oriol Encarnación de Espronceda y Delgado (25 March 1808 – 23 May 1842)[2] was a Romantic Spanish poet, one of the most representative authors of the 19th century.

When he was 15 years old, he formed a secret society named "Los Numantinos" alongside his friends Ventura de la Vega and Patricio de la Escosura, conspiring against Ferdinand VII and intending to avenge the death of Rafael del Riego.

[6] Afterward, he left Spain and lived in Lisbon, Belgium, France, England and Holland.

[7] Having been inspired to a literary career by his teacher Alberto Lista, Espronceda began to write the historical poem El Pelayo during his stay in the monastery.

Many of his works display the tendencies of Romanticism, and along with José Zorrilla he is considered Spain's most important Romantic poet, as well as the most rebellious.