Spanish historian, born at Valladolid. In his fifteenth year he entered the order of St. Augustine, was afterwards professor of theology at the university of Alcalá, and published a Cursus theologiae in five volumes (1732–1738). He afterwards devoted himself to historical studies. Of these the first-fruit was his Clave Historial, a work of the same class as the French Art de vérifier les dates, and preceding it by several years. It appeared in 1743, and passed through many editions. In 1747 was published the first volume of España Sagrada, teatro geografico-historico de la Iglesia de España, a vast compilation of Spanish ecclesiastical history which obtained a European reputation, and of which twenty-nine volumes appeared in the author’s lifetime. It was continued after his death by Manuel Risco and others, and further additions have been made at the expense of the Spanish government. The whole work in fifty-one volumes was published at Madrid (1747–1886). Its value is considerably increased by the insertion of ancient chronicles and documents not easily accessible elsewhere. Flórez was a good numismatist, and published Medallas de las Colonias in 2 vols. (1757–1758), of which a third volume appeared in 1773. His last work was the Memorias de las reynas Catolicas, 2 vols. (1770). Flórez led a retired, studious and unambitious life, and died at Madrid on the 20th of August 1773.
See F. Mendez, Noticia de la vida y escritos de Henrique Flórez (Madrid, 1780).
