Diego Clemencín y Viñas (27 September 1765 – 10 June 1834) was a Spanish scholar and politician.
Early life and education
Born in Murcia, he was educated at the Colegio de San Fulgencio. Abandoning his intention of taking Holy Orders, he found employment at Madrid in 1788 as tutor to the sons of the countess-duchess de Benavente, and devoted himself to the study of archaeology.
Later life
In 1807 he became editor of the Gaceta de Madrid, and in the following year was condemned to death by Joachim Murat for publishing a patriotic article; he fled to Cádiz, and under the Junta Central held various posts from which he was dismissed by the reactionary government of 1814. During the liberal régime of 1820–1823 Clemencín took office as colonial minister, was exiled till 1827, and in 1833 published the first volume of his edition (1833–1839) of Don Quixote. Its merits were recognized by his appointment as royal librarian, but he did not long enjoy his triumph: he died on 30 July 1834.