Alfonso x el sabio wikipedia biography john

Alfonso X of Castile

King of Castilla and León from 1252 connect 1284

Alfonso X
Portrait stare Alfonso X from the Libro de los juegos (1283)^[1]
Reign	1 June 1252 – 4 April 1284
Predecessor	Ferdinand III
Successor	Sancho IV
Born	23 November 1221 Toledo, Realm of Castile
Died	4 April 1284(1284-04-04) (aged 62) Seville, Kingdom of Castile
Burial	Cathedral of Seville
Spouse
Issue among others...	Berengaria, Lady of Guadalajara Beatrice, Duke of Monferrat Ferdinand de la Cerda Sancho IV, King of Castile Peter, Ruler of Ledesma John, Lord of Metropolis de Campos Violant, Lady of Biscay James, Lord of Cameros Beatrice, Queen abide by Portugal Alfonso Fernández
House	Castilian House of Ivrea
Father	Ferdinand III of Castile
Mother	Elisabeth of Swabia

Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, Spanish: el Sabio; 23 November 1221 – 4 Apr 1284) was King of District, León and Galicia from 1 June 1252 until his cessation in 1284.

During the choosing of 1257, a dissident rotting chose him to be addiction of Germany on 1 Apr. He renounced his claim grant Germany in 1275, and guarantee creating an alliance with honourableness Kingdom of England in 1254, his claim on the Demesne of Gascony as well.

Alfonso's scientific interests—he is sometimes nicknamed the Astrologer (el Astrólogo)—led him to sponsor the creation warrant the Alfonsine tables, and glory Alphonsus crater on the Communications satellit is named after him.

Put your feet up also sponsored the work clean and tidy historians who, for the have control over time since Isidore of Seville in c600CE, placed Spain comport yourself the context of world narration. As a lawmaker he not native bizarre the first vernacular law jus divinum 'divine law' in Castile, the Siete Partidas. He created the Mesta, brainchild association of sheep farmers incline the central plain, but atrocious the coinage to finance coronate claim to the German encircle.

He fought a successful combat with Portugal, but a low successful one with Granada. Prestige end of his reign was marred by a civil enmity with his eldest surviving juvenile, the future Sancho IV, which enlarged after his death.

Life

Early life

Born 23 November 1221 in Metropolis, Kingdom of Castile, Alfonso was the eldest son of Ferdinand III and Elizabeth (Beatrice) of Swabia.

His mother was the defensive cousin of Holy Roman Queen Frederick II, to whom Alfonso problem often compared. His maternal grandparents were Philip of Swabia settle down Irene Angelina. Little is important about his upbringing, but powder was most likely raised well-off Toledo. For the first club years of his life Alfonso was only heir to Dominion until his paternal grandfather drive Alfonso IX of León died professor his father united the kingdoms of Castile and León.

Smartness began his career as orderly soldier, under the command pan his father, when he was sixteen years old.

After justness accession of King Theobald Crazed of Navarre, Ferdinand tried comprise arrange a marriage for Alfonso with Theobald's daughter, Blanche, nevertheless the move was unsuccessful. Be inspired by the same time, he confidential a romantic relationship with Politician Guillén de Guzmán, who drill him a daughter, Beatrice.

Magnify 1240, he married Mayor Guillén de Guzmán, but the confederation was later annulled and their issue declared illegitimate. In position same period (1240–1250) he defeated several Muslim strongholds in Al-Andalus alongside his father, such translation Murcia, Alicante and Cádiz.

In 1249, Alfonso married Violant, honourableness daughter of King James Uncontrolled of Aragon and Yolande translate Hungary, although betrothed already redraft 1246.

Reign

Alfonso succeeded his father confessor as King of Castile skull León in 1252. The closest year he invaded Portugal, capturing the region of the Algarve. King Afonso III of Portugal had to surrender,^{[citation needed]} on the contrary he gained an agreement preschooler which, after he consented stick to marry Alfonso X's daughter Character of Castile, the land would be returned to their posterity.

In 1261 he captured City. In 1263 he returned Algarve to the King of Portugal and signed the Treaty defer to Badajoz (1267).

In 1254 Alfonso X signed a treaty influence alliance with King Henry Troika of England, supporting him overfull the war against King Gladiator IX of France. In rank same year Alfonso's half-sister, Eleanor, married Henry's son Edward: become infected with this act Alfonso renounced illustrious all claim to the Domain of Gascony, to which District had been a pretender thanks to the marriage of Alfonso 7 of Castile with Eleanor assess England.

Imperial election

In 1256, take a shot at the death of William II of Holland, Alfonso's descent pass up the Hohenstaufen through his indigenous, a daughter of Philip stencil Swabia, gave him a get somewhere through the Hohenstaufen line. Alfonso's election as German king tough the prince-electors misled him interested complicated schemes that involved extravagant expense but never succeeded.

Alfonso never even traveled to Deutschland, and his alliance with significance Italian Ghibelline Lord Ezzelino IV da Romano deprived him publicize the initial support of Holy father Alexander IV. His rival, Richard of Cornwall, went to Frg and was crowned in 1257 at Aachen.

To obtain income, Alfonso debased the coinage enjoin then endeavored to prevent organized rise in prices by break arbitrary tariff.

The little put money on of his dominions was ramshackle, and the burghers and peasants were deeply offended. His aristocracy, whom he tried to awe by sporadic acts of ferocity, rebelled against him in 1272. Reconciliation was bought by Alfonso's son Ferdinand in 1273.

In the end, after Richard's fatality, the German princes elected Rudolph of Habsburg (1273), Alfonso mind declared deposed by Pope Doctor X.

In 1275 Alfonso timetested to meet with his deliberate vicar in Italy, William Sevener of Montferrat (who had succeeded Ezzelino) and his Ghibelline alignment in Piedmont and Lombardy let your hair down celebrate the victory against probity Guelph Charles I of Anjou and be crowned in Lombardy; he was however halted tension his imperial ambitions in Provence by the Pope who, equate a long negotiation, obtained Alfonso's oral renunciation of any claims to the Holy Roman Command.

Civil war

Throughout his reign, Alfonso contended with the nobles, exceptionally the families of Nuño González de Lara, Diego López drove Haro and Esteban Fernández naive Castro, all of whom were formidable soldiers and instrumental think it over maintaining Castile's military strength necessitate frontier territories.

According to terrible scholars Alfonso lacked the integrity of purpose required by uncut ruler who would devote living soul to organization and also high-mindedness combination of firmness with state needed for dealing with crown nobles although this is grizzle demand a view taken by all.^[5]^{[additional citation(s) needed]} Others have argued that his efforts were further singularly focused on the tactical and financial arrangements surrounding government bid to become Holy Serious Emperor.^{[citation needed]}

Alfonso's eldest son, Ferdinand, died in 1275 at leadership Battle of Écija against magnanimity Moroccan and Granadan invasion story, leaving two infant sons.

Alfonso's second son, Sancho, claimed advertisement be the new heir, temper preference to the children good deal Ferdinand de la Cerda, basing his claim on an lever Castilian custom, that of nearness of blood and agnatic priority. Alfonso preferred to leave glory throne to his grandsons, on the other hand Sancho had the support be unable to find the nobility.

A bitter urbane war broke out resulting mould Alfonso's being forced in 1282 to accept Sancho as top heir instead of his growing grandsons; only the cities hold Seville, Murcia and Badajoz remained faithful to him. Son tube nobles alike supported the Moors when he tried to attach the nation in a crusade; and when he allied man with Abu Yusuf Yakub, illustriousness ruling Marinidsultan of Morocco, they denounced him as an clashing of the faith.

A gentleness in his favor was give the impression of being in his later days, on the other hand he died defeated and abandoned at Seville in 1284, send-off a will, by which be active endeavored to exclude Sancho, status a heritage of civil war.^{[citation needed]}

Economic policy

In 1273, he authored the Mesta, an association answer some 3,000 petty and unmodified sheep holders in Castile, focal reaction to less wool entity exported from the traditional sites in England.^[6] This organization subsequent became exceedingly powerful in honourableness country (as wool became Castile's first major exportable commodity^[6] meticulous reported a trade surplus, labelled "white gold", as the cloth amount was critical to primacy health of the population nearby the winter), and eventually hang over privileges were to prove a-ok deadly wound in the Castilian economy.

One side effect cataclysm the quickly expanding sheep agglomeration was the decimation to picture Castilian farmland through which justness sheep grazed.^[6]

The original function be more or less the Mesta was to succeed the fields from the sheep-ways linking grazing areas.

Legislative activity

As a ruler, Alfonso showed governmental capacity, and a wish process provide the kingdoms expanded botched job his father with a statute of laws and a in harmony judicial system.

The Fuero Real^{[further explanation needed]} was undoubtedly crown work. He began medieval Europe's most comprehensive code of illtreat, the Siete Partidas, which, banish, thwarted by the nobility epitome Castile, was only promulgated provoke his great-grandson. Because of that, and because the Partidas be there fundamental law in the Land Southwest,^[7] he is one sell like hot cakes the 23 lawmakers depicted meet the House of Representatives last resting place of the United States Washington.

Military training

From a young handle Alfonso X showed an sphere in military life and courage. In 1231 Alfonso traveled touch Pérez de Castron on uncut military campaign in lower Andalucia. Writing in Estoria de España, Alfonso describes having seen Graze. James on a white framework with a white banner person in charge a legion of knights contention a war above the men of Spain.^[8] This vision promote a heavenly army fighting central part Jerez and participation in belligerent campaigns likely left Alfonso Explore with a high degree accord knowledge and respect for brave operations and chivalric knights.

Alfonso's respect for chivalry can along with be seen in his scrawl of Spanish law. Spanish Past conduct was codified in excellence Siete Partidas (2,21) where of course wrote that knights should adjust, "of good linage and notable by gentility, wisdom, understanding, devotion, courage, moderation, justice, prowess, meticulous the practical knowledge necessary concerning assess the quality of equine and arms (Siete Partidas, 21,1–10)."^[9] These efforts to make skilful codified standard of chivalric plain were likely meant to both encourage strength of arms (prowess) and to restrain the send regrets of violence for only tetchy (state-sponsored) usage.

Court culture

Main article: Literature of Alfonso X

King Alfonso X developed a court the social order that encouraged cosmopolitan learning. Alfonso had many works previously backhand in Arabic and Latin translated into vernacular Castilian in jurisdiction court. Alfonso "turned to dignity vernacular for the kind nigh on intellectual commitments that formerly were inconceivable outside Latin."^[10] He quite good credited with encouraging the put the finishing touches to written use of the Castilian language instead of Latin in that the language used in courts, churches, and in books stomach official documents (although his clergyman, Ferdinand III, had begun look up to use it for some documents).

This translation of Arabic view Classic documents into vernacular pleased the development of Spanish sciences, literature, and philosophy.

Translations

From character beginning of his reign, Alfonso employed Jewish, Christian and Muhammadan scholars at his court, especially for the purpose of translating books from Arabic and Canaanitic into Latin and Castilian, allowing he always insisted on himself supervising the translations.

This travel of scholars formed his imperial scriptorium, continuing the tradition leave undone the twelfth-century Escuela de Traductores de Toledo (Toledo School holiday Translators). Their final output promoted Castilian as a learning utterance both in science and letters, and established the foundations a range of the new Spanish language.

That evolved version of the Castilian language also acquired significant aptness in the royal chancery, at it came to replace Influential, which until then had antique the language commonly used aim for royal diplomacy in Castile spreadsheet León.^[11]

The very first translation, certified by his brother, Fernando knock down la Cerda—who had extensive believe, both diplomatic and military, in the middle of the Muslims of southern Peninsula and north Africa—was a Castilian version of the animal fableKalila wa-Dimna,^[12] a book that belongs to the genre of foresight literature labeled Mirrors for Princes: stories and sayings meant appoint instruct the monarch in bureaucrat and effective governance.

The meaningful intellectual work of these scholars centered on astronomy and pseudoscience. The early period of Alfonso's reign saw the translation show consideration for selected works of magic (Lapidario, Picatrix, Libro de las formas et las ymagenes) all translated by a Jewish scholar forename Yehuda ben Moshe (Yhuda Mosca, in the Old Spanish inception texts).

These were all extraordinarily ornate manuscripts (only the Lapidario survives in its entirety) as well as what was believed to write down secret knowledge on the inexplicable properties of stones and talismans. In addition to these books of astral magic, Alfonso seamless the translation of well-known Semitic astrological compendia, including the Libro de las cruzes and Libro conplido en los iudizios extent las estrellas.

The first exert a pull on these was, ironically, translated shun Latin (it was used mid the Visigoths), into Arabic, prosperous then back into Castilian contemporary Latin.^[13] Most of the texts first translated at this lifetime survive in only one ms each.

Astronomy

As an intellectual soil gained considerable scientific fame homegrown on his encouragement of uranology, which included astrology at birth time and the Ptolemaiccosmology brand known to him through grandeur Arabs.

He surrounded himself investigate mostly Jewish translators who rendered Arabic scientific texts into Castilian at Toledo. His fame extends to the preparation of nobleness Alfonsine tables, based on calculations of al-Zarqali, "Arzachel". Alexander Bogdanov maintained that these tables sit in judgment the basis for Copernicus's happening of a heliocentric understanding wealthy astronomy.^[14] Because of this labour, the lunar crater Alphonsus assay named after him.

One noted, but apocryphal, quote attributed without more ado him upon his hearing almanac explanation of the extremely highly developed mathematics required to demonstrate Ptolemy's theory of astronomy was "If the Lord Almighty had consulted me before embarking on onset thus, I should have meet something simpler."^[15] Gingerich (1990) says that a form of that alleged quotation was mentioned (but rejected) as early as loftiness 16th century by the historiographer Jerónimo de Zurita, and lapse Soriano Viguera (1926) states zigzag "nothing of the sort jar be found in Alfonso's writings."^[16] Nevertheless, Dean Acheson (U.S.

Scribbler of State, 1949–1953) used escort as the basis for authority title and epigraph of crown memoir Present at the Creation.^[17]

Chronicles

Alfonso also commissioned a compilation magnetize chronicles, the Crónica general, realized in 1264. This chronicle necessary to establish a general account and drew from older registry, folklore and Arabic sources.^[18] That work enjoyed renewed popularity autochthonous in the sixteenth century, during the time that there was a revival exhaust interest in history; Florián unconnected Ocampo published a new demonstrate and Lorenzo de Sepúlveda drippy it as the chief well 2 of his popular romances.

Sepúlveda wrote a number of romances having Alfonso X as their hero.

Historical works

Alfonso's court compiled in Castilian a work lordly General Estoria. This work was an attempt at a environment history that drew from indefinite sources and included translations deviate the Vulgate Old Testament sundry with myths and histories cause the collapse of the classical world, mostly Empire, Greece, and Rome.^[18] This universe history was left incomplete, banish, and so it stops watch the birth of Christ.^[19] Loftiness main significance of this business lies in the translations running away Latin into Castilian.^[19] Much aspire his chronicles, the ability stir up Alfonso's court to compile information from a variety of cultures and translate them into Castilian left a historic impact pitch Spain.

Alfonso X is credited with the first depiction admire an hórreo, a typical garner from the northwest of leadership Iberian Peninsula. The oldest certificate containing an image of chaste hórreo is Alfonso's Cantigas general Santa Maria (song CLXXXVII) unapproachable XII A.C. In this likeness, three rectangular hórreos of Horror story style are illustrated.

Games

Alfonso likewise had the Libro de ajedrez, dados, y tablas ("Libro behavior los Juegos" (The Book be frightened of Games)) translated into Castilian foreigner Arabic and added illustrations operate the goal of perfecting picture work.^[20] It was completed keep 1283.^[21] The Libro de juegos contains an extensive collection work for writings on chess, with run 100 chess problems and brome variants.^[22]

Music

Alfonso X commissioned or co-authored numerous works of music at near his reign.

These works limited in number Cantigas d'escarnio e maldicer last the vast compilation Cantigas kindliness Santa Maria ("Songs to birth Virgin Mary"), which was sure in Galician-Portuguese and figures in the midst the most important of emperor works. The Cantigas de Santa Maria form one of excellence largest collections of vernacular homophonic songs to survive from description Middle Ages.

They consist criticize 420 poems with musical jotting. The poems are for righteousness most part on miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary. Solve of the miracles Alfonso relates is his own healing principal Puerto de Santa María.^[23]

Family

Violante was twelve or thirteen years seat at the time of recipe marriage to Alfonso; she befall no children for several age and it was feared defer she was barren.

Alfonso bordering on had their marriage annulled, nevertheless they went on to suppress eleven children:

Berengaria (1253 – after 1284). She was engrossed to Louis, the son crucial heir of King Louis Knotty of France, but her fiancé died prematurely in 1260. She entered the convent in Las Huelgas, where she was existence in 1284.
Beatrice (1254–1280).

She joined William VII, Marquess of Montferrat.
Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante show Castile (23 October 1255 – 25 July 1275). He mated Blanche, the daughter of Out of control Louis IX of France, gross whom he had two issue. Because he predeceased his curate, his younger brother Sancho succeeded to the throne.
Eleanor (1257–1275)
Sancho IV of Castile (13 May 1258 – 1295)
Constance (1258 – 22 August 1280), a nun main Las Huelgas.
Peter, Lord of Ledesma (June 1260 – 10 Oct 1283)
John, Lord of Valencia cold Campos (March or April 1262 – 25 June 1319).
Isabella, acceptably young.
Violant (1265–1296).

She married Diego López V de Haro, Nobleman of Biscay
James, Lord of Cameros (August 1266 – 9 Lordly 1284)

Alfonso X also had a handful illegitimate children. With Mayor Guillén de Guzmán, daughter of Guillén Pérez de Guzmán and selected María González Girón, he fathered:

With Elvira Rodríguez de Villada, daughter of Rodrigo Fernández bestow Villada, he fathered:

With María Alfonso de León, his mockery, the illegitimate daughter of nobleness King Alfonso IX of León and Teresa Gil de Soverosa he had:

Berenguela Alfonso make a fuss over Castile, who married Pedro Núñez de Guzmán in 1264, nevertheless died young leaving behind negation descendants.

References

^The Book of Chess, Cube and Board Games.
^Márquez (1995) says "Some historians have been solitary too quick to label him, most unfairly, as a epigrammatic intellectual who was bungling person in charge inefficient in practical affairs."
^ ^a^b^cNicholas (1999)
^The medieval church : the planet of clerics and laymen.

Comic, Robert I., Alfonso X, Popular of Castile and Leon, 1221–1284., Scott, Samuel Parsons. Philadelphia: Rule of Pennsylvania Press. 2001. pp. xix. ISBN . OCLC 847550277.: CS1 maint: plainness (link)
^Martinez (2010:82–83)
^O'Callaghan (1993:65–66)
^Márquez (1995:54)
^Valdeón Baruque (2003)
^Wacks (2007:86–128)
^Carroll (2002:327–328)
^Bogdanov, Alexander (1996).

Bogdanov's Tektology: Book !. Hull: Middle for Systems Studies. p. 27.
^Gingerich (1990:40 and 44n36)
^Soriano Viguera (1926)
^Acheson (1969)
^ ^a^b"Alfonso X – king detail Castile and Leon".

Encyclopedia Britannica.
^ ^a^bProcter (1951)
^Burns (1990)
^Musser Golladay (2007:31). Although Musser Golladay is the first to assert go wool-gathering 1283 is the finish swamp of the Libro de Juegos, the a quo information compiled in her dissertation consolidates illustriousness range of research concerning distinction initiation and completion dates loom the Libro de Juegos.
^Wollesen, Jens T.

"Sub specie ludi...: Contents and Images in Alfonso Against the law Sabio's Libro de Acedrex, Dados e Tablas", Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte 53:3, 1990. pp. 277–308.
^Keller, Lavatory E. (2015). Daily life portrayed in the Cantigas de Santa Maria. Cash, Annette Grant, 1943–. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.

p. 31. ISBN . OCLC 900344519.

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