Juan del Enzina – the spelling he used – or Juan del Encina – modern Spanish spelling – (born July 12, 1468 – died late 1529 or early 1530)[1] was a composer, poet and playwright,[2]:535 often called the founder, along with Gil Vicente, of Spanish drama.[1] His name at birth was Juan de Fermoselle.
He was born in 1468 near Salamanca,[1] probably at Encina de San Silvestre, one of at least 7 known children of Juan de Fermoselle, a shoemaker, and his wife.[3] He was of Jewish converso descent.[1][4] After leaving Salamanca University sometime in 1492[1] he became a member of the household of Don Fadrique de Toledo, the second Duke of Alba, although some sources believe that he did not work for the Duke of Alba until 1495.[3] A plausible argument is that his first post was as a Corregidor in northern Spain.[3]

Fermoselle was a Chaplain at the Salamanca Cathedral in the early 1490s.[3] It was here that he changed his name from Juan de Fermoselle to Juan del Enzina, or Encina (meaning holm oak) during his stay as Chaplain.[3] He was later forced to resign as Chaplain because he was not ordained.