Teresa of Ávila

Timeline

1. 1515–1561Ávila · Castile and LeónIn 1535 she entered the Convent of the Incarnation in Ávila; after long illness and spiritual struggle she gradually established a mystical spiritual path and began reflecting on the laxity of the rule.
2. 1562–1570Ávila · CastileIn 1562 she founded the Convent of Saint Joseph, implementing the Discalced reform with a strict rule; in 1567 she received the approval of Pope Pius V, after which she established convents across Spain and enlisted John of the Cross to assist in reforming the male monasteries. The period 1561–1570 was the key phase of the reform's expansion.
3. 1571–1582Burgos · CastileShe wrote works such as The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, continued to oversee convent affairs and to contend with internal opposition, and died of illness in Alba de Tormes in 1582, later honored as a Doctor of the Church.