Spanish music of the 16th century was dominated by three great composers, Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero and Tomás Luis de Victoria, whose work coincided with the long reigns of Charles V (1517 to 1556) and his son Philip II (1556 to 1596). The 16th century was a time when Spanish music, especially religious polyphony, is thought to have reached its peak, both in spiritual intensity and musical achievement. Alison Hughes presents the music of Cristóbal de Morales, described by a contemporary as "the light of Spain in Music", and considered the first major composer from the Iberian peninsula. Cristóbal de Morales was born in 1500, probably in Seville, the city he most identified with, and where he died in 1553. He is credited with helping to transplant the mature musical style of Renaissance Rome to the Iberian peninsula. Cristóbal de Morales lived and worked in Italy for nearly 20 years and his 10-year stint at the Papal chapel in Rome, from 1535 to 1545, reflects this assimilation of central European styles and techniques (16/09/14).
