José Manuel Blecua Perdices, the Spanish philologist who directed the Royal Spanish Academy from 2010 to 2014, died on May 29, 2026.
He was 86. Born in Zaragoza on June 21, 1939, Blecua studied at the University of Zaragoza and went on to teach at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
His work as a filólogo, university professor and writer earned him several distinctions, including the Cruz de San Jorge, the Gran Cruz of the Order of Civil Merit of Alfonso X the Wise, and the Premio de las Letras Aragonesas.
José Manuel Blecua Perdices, 86, Spanish philologist, director of the Royal Spanish Academy (2010–2014).