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Birth:          23 Nov 1221 Toledo, Spain
Death:          4 Apr 1284 Seville
Burial:         Cathedral of Seville

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_X_of_Castile
Alfonso X (also occasionally Alphonso X, Alphonse X, or Alfons X,[1] 23 November 
1221 – 4 April 1284), called the Wise (Spanish: el Sabio), was the King of Castile, 
León and Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death. During the Imperial election of 
1257, a dissident faction chose him to be King of the Romans (Latin: Rex Romanorum; 
German: Römisch-deutscher König) on 1 April. He renounced his imperial claim in 
1275, and in creating an alliance with England in 1254, his claim on Gascony as well.

Alfonso X fostered the development of a cosmopolitan court that encouraged learning. 
Jews, Muslims, and Christians had prominent roles in his court. As a result of his 
encouraging the translation of works from Arabic and Latin into the vernacular of 
Castile, many intellectual changes took place, perhaps the most notable being 
encouragement of the use of Castilian as a primary language of higher learning, 
science, and law. Alfonso was a prolific author of Galician poetry, such as the 
Cantigas de Santa Maria, which are equally notable for their musical notation as for 
their literary merit. Alfonso's scientific interests—he is sometimes nicknamed the 
Astrologer (el Astrólogo)—led him to sponsor the creation of the Alfonsine tables, and 
the Alphonsus crater on the moon is named after him. As a legislator he introduced the 
first vernacular law code in Spain, the Siete Partidas. He created the Mesta, an 
association of sheep farmers in the central plain, but debased the coinage to finance 
his claim to the German crown. He fought a successful war with Portugal, but a less 
successful one with Granada. The end of his reign was marred by a civil war with his 
eldest surviving son, the future Sancho IV, which continued after his death.
Life[edit]

Early life[edit]

Born in Toledo, Kingdom of Castile, Alfonso was the eldest son of Ferdinand III of 
Castile and Elizabeth (Beatrice) of Swabia. His mother was the paternal cousin of Holy 
Roman Emperor Frederick II, to whom Alfonso is often compared. His maternal 
grandparents were Philip of Swabia and Irene Angelina. Little is known about his 
upbringing, but he was most likely raised in Toledo. For the first nine years of his life 
Alfonso was only heir to Castile until his paternal grandfather king Alfonso IX of Leon 
died and his father united the kingdoms of Castile and Leon. He began his career as a 
soldier, under the command of his father, when he was only sixteen years old.

After the election of Theobald I as king of Navarre, his father tried to arrange a 
marriage for Alfonso with Theobald's daughter, Blanche of Navarre, but the move was 
unsuccessful. At the same time, he had a romantic relationship with Mayor Guillén de 
Guzmán, who bore him a daughter, Beatrice. In 1240, he married Mayor Guillén de 
Guzmán, but the marriage was later annulled and their issue declared illegitimate. In 
the same period (1240–1250) he conquered several Muslim strongholds in Al-Andalus 
alongside his father, such as Murcia, Alicante and Cadiz.

In 1249, Alfonso married Violante of Aragon, the daughter of King James I of Aragon 
and Yolande of Hungary, although betrothed already in 1246.

Reign[edit]

Alfonso succeeded his father as King of Castile and León in 1252. The following year 
he invaded Portugal, capturing the region of the Algarve. King Afonso III of Portugal 
had to surrender, but he gained an agreement by which, after he consented to marry 
Alfonso X's daughter Beatrice of Castile, the land would be returned to their heirs. In 
1261 he captured Jerez. In 1263 he returned Algarve to the King of Portugal and 
signed the Treaty of Badajoz (1267).

In 1254 Alfonso X signed a treaty of alliance with the King of England and Duke of 
Aquitaine, Henry III, supporting him in the war against Louis IX of France. In the same 
year Alfonso's half sister, Eleanor of Castile, married Henry's heir to the throne, 
Edward: with this act Alfonso renounced forever all claim to the Duchy of Gascony, to 
which Castile had been a pretender since the marriage of Alfonso VIII of Castile with 
Eleanor of England.

Imperial election[edit]

In 1256, at the death of William II of Holland, Alfonso's descent from the 
Hohenstaufen through his mother, a daughter of the emperor Philip of Swabia, gave 
him a claim through the Swabian line. Alfonso's election as King of the Romans by the 
imperial prince-electors misled him into complicated schemes that involved excessive 
expense but never succeeded. Alfonso never even traveled to Germany, and his 
alliance with the Italian Ghibelline lord Ezzelino IV da Romano deprived him of the 
initial support of Pope Alexander IV. His rival, Richard of Cornwall, went to Germany 
and was crowned in 1257 at Aachen.

To obtain money, Alfonso debased the coinage and then endeavored to prevent a rise 
in prices by an arbitrary tariff. The little trade of his dominions was ruined, and the 
burghers and peasants were deeply offended. His nobles, whom he tried to cow by 
sporadic acts of violence, rebelled against him in 1272. Reconciliation was bought by 
Alfonso's son Ferdinand in 1273.

In the end, after Richard's death, the German princes elected Rudolph I of Habsburg 
(1273), Alfonso being declared deposed by Pope Gregory X. In 1275 Alfonso tried to 
meet with his imperial vicar in Italy, William VII of Montferrat (who had succeeded 
Ezzelino) and his Ghibelline allies in Piedmont and Lombardy to celebrate the victory 
against the Guelph Charles I of Anjou and be crowned in Lombardy; he was however 
halted in his imperial ambitions in Provence by the Pope who, after a long negotiation, 
obtained Alfonso's oral renunciation of the title of King of the Romans.

Civil war[edit]

Throughout his reign, Alfonso contended with the nobles, particularly the families of 
Nuño González de Lara, Diego López de Haro and Esteban Fernández de Castro, all 
of whom were formidable soldiers and instrumental in maintaining Castile's military 
strength in frontier territories. According to some scholars, Alfonso lacked the 
singleness of purpose required by a ruler who would devote himself to organization, 
and also the combination of firmness with temper needed for dealing with his nobles.
[3] Others have argued that his efforts were too singularly focused on the diplomatic 
and financial arrangements surrounding his bid to become Holy Roman Emperor.

Alfonso's eldest son, Ferdinand, died in 1275 at the Battle of Écija against the 
Moroccan and Granadan invasion armies, leaving two infant sons. Alfonso's second 
son, Sancho, claimed to be the new heir, in preference to the children of Ferdinand de 
la Cerda, basing his claim on an old Castilian custom, that of proximity of blood and 
agnatic seniority. Alfonso preferred to leave the throne to his grandsons, but Sancho 
had the support of the nobility. A bitter civil war broke out resulting in Alfonso's being 
forced in 1282 to accept Sancho as his heir instead of his young grandsons; only the 
cities of Seville, Murcia and Badajoz remained faithful to him. Son and nobles alike 
supported the Moors when he tried to unite the nation in a crusade; and when he 
allied himself with Abu Yusuf Yakub, the ruling Marinid Sultan of Morocco, they 
denounced him as an enemy of the faith. A reaction in his favor was beginning in his 
later days, but he died defeated and deserted at Seville in 1284, leaving a will, by 
which he endeavored to exclude Sancho, and a heritage of civil war.

Economic policy[edit]

In 1273, he created the Mesta, an association of some 3,000 petty and great sheep 
holders in Castile, in reaction to less wool being exported from the traditional sites in 
England.[4] This organization later became exceedingly powerful in the country (as 
wool became Castile's first major exportable commodity[4] and reported a trade 
surplus, called "white gold", as the wool amount was critical to the health of the 
population during the winter), and eventually its privileges were to prove a deadly 
wound in the Castilian economy.[citation needed] One side effect of the quickly 
expanding sheep herds was the decimation to the Castilian farmland through which the 
sheep grazed. [4]

The original function of the Mesta was to separate the fields from the sheep-ways 
linking grazing areas.

Legislative activity[edit]

As a ruler, Alfonso showed legislative capacity, and a wish to provide the kingdoms 
expanded under his father with a code of laws and a consistent judicial system. The 
Fuero Real was undoubtedly his work. He began medieval Europe's most 
comprehensive code of law, the Siete Partidas, which, however, thwarted by the 
nobility of Castile, was only promulgated by his great-grandson. Because of this, and 
because the Partidas remain fundamental law in the American Southwest[citation 
needed], he is one of the 23 lawmakers depicted in the House of Representatives 
chamber of the United States Capitol.

Military training[edit]

From a young age Alfonso X showed an interest in military life and chivalry. In 1231 
Alfonso traveled with Pérez de Castron on a military campaign in lower Andalusia. 
Writing in Estoria de España, Alfonso describes having seen St. James on a white 
horse with a white banner and a legion of knights fighting a war above the soldiers of 
Spain.[5] This vision of a heavenly army fighting in Jerez and participation in military 
campaigns likely left Alfonso X with a high degree of knowledge and respect for 
military operations and chivalric knights. Alfonso's respect for chivalry can also be 
seen in his writing of Spanish law. Spanish Chivalric conduct was codified in the Siete 
Partidas (2,21) where he wrote that knights should be, "of good linage and 
distinguished by gentility, wisdom, understanding, loyalty, courage, moderation, 
justice, prowess, and the practical knowledge necessary to assess the quality of horse 
and arms (Siete Partidas, 21,1-10)."[6] These efforts to make a codified standard of 
chivalric conduct were likely meant to both encourage strength of arms (prowess) and 
to restrain the use of violence for only just (state-sponsored) usage.

Court culture[edit]

Main article: Literature of Alfonso X

King Alfonso X developed a court culture that encouraged cosmopolitan learning. 
Alfonso had many works previously written in Arabic and Latin translated into 
vernacular Castilian in his court. Alfonso "turned to the vernacular for the kind of 
intellectual commitments that formerly were inconceivable outside Latin."[7] He is 
credited with encouraging the extensive written use of the Castilian language instead 
of Latin as the language used in courts, churches, and in books and official 
documents (although his father, Ferdinand III, had begun to use it for some 
documents). This translation of Arabic and Classic documents into vernacular 
encouraged the development of Spanish sciences, literature, and philosophy.

Translations[edit]

From the beginning of his reign, Alfonso employed Jewish, Christian and Muslim 
scholars at his court, primarily for the purpose of translating books from Arabic and 
Hebrew into Latin and Castilian, although he always insisted in supervising personally 
the translations. This group of scholars formed his royal scriptorium, known as the 
Escuela de Traductores de Toledo (Toledo School of Translators). Their final output 
promoted Castilian as a learning language both in science and literature, and 
established the foundations of the new Spanish language. This evolved version of the 
Castilian language also acquired significant relevance in the royal chancery, where it 
came to replace Latin, which until then had been the language commonly used for 
royal diplomacy in Castile and León.[8]

The very first translation, commissioned by his brother, Fernando de la Cerda— who had 
extensive experience, both diplomatic and military, among the Muslims of southern 
Iberia and north Africa— was a Castilian version of the animal fable Kalila wa-Dimna,[9] 
a book that belongs to the genre of wisdom literature labeled Mirrors for Princes: 
stories and sayings meant to instruct the monarch in proper and effective governance.

The primary intellectual work of these scholars centered on astronomy and astrology. 
The early period of Alfonso's reign saw the translation of selected works of magic 
(Lapidario, Picatrix, Libro de las formas et las ymagenes) all translated by a Jewish 
scholar named Yehuda ben Moshe (Yhuda Mosca, in the Old Spanish source texts). 
These were all highly ornate manuscripts (only the Lapidario survives in its entirety) 
containing what was believed to be secret knowledge on the magical properties of 
stones and talismans. In addition to these books of astral magic, Alfonso ordered the 
translation of well-known Arabic astrological compendia, including the Libro de las 
cruzes and Libro conplido en los iudizios de las estrellas. The first of these was, 
ironically, translated from Latin (it was used among the Visigoths), into Arabic, and 
then back into Castilian and Latin.[10] Most of the texts first translated at this time 
survive in only one manuscript each.

Astronomy[edit]

As an intellectual he gained considerable scientific fame based on his encouragement 
of astronomy, which included astrology at the time and the Ptolemaic cosmology as 
known to him through the Arabs. He surrounded himself with mostly Jewish translators 
who rendered Arabic scientific texts into Castilian at Toledo. His fame extends to the 
preparation of the Alfonsine tables, based on calculations of al-Zarqali, "Arzachel". 
Alexander Bogdanov maintained that these tables formed the basis for Copernicus's 
development of a heliocentric understanding in astronomy.[11] Because of this work, 
the lunar crater Alphonsus is named after him. One famous, but apocryphal, quote 
attributed to him upon his hearing an explanation of the extremely complicated 
mathematics required to demonstrate Ptolemy's theory of astronomy was "If the Lord 
Almighty had consulted me before embarking on creation thus, I should have 
recommended something simpler."[12] Gingerich (1990) says that a form of this alleged 
quotation was mentioned (but rejected) as early as the 16th century by the historian 
Jerónimo de Zurita, and that Soriano Viguera (1926) states that "nothing of the sort 
can be found in Alfonso's writings."[13] Nevertheless, Dean Acheson (U.S. Secretary 
of State, 1949-1953) used it as the basis for the title and epigraph of his memoir 
Present at the Creation[14]

Chronicles[edit]

Alfonso also commissioned a compilation of chronicles, the Crónica general, 
completed in 1264. This chronicle sought to establish a general history and drew from 
older chronicles, folklore and Arabic sources.[15] This work enjoyed renewed 
popularity starting in the sixteenth century, when there was a revival of interest in 
history; Florián de Ocampo published a new edition and Lorenzo de Sepúlveda used it 
as the chief source of his popular romances. Sepúlveda wrote a number of romances 
having Alfonso X as their hero.

Historical writing[edit]

Alfonso's court compiled in Castilian a work titled General Estoria. This work was an 
attempt at a world history that drew from many sources and included translations from 
the Vulgate Old Testament mixed with myths and histories from the classical world, 
mostly Egypt, Greece, and Rome.[15] This world history was left incomplete, however, 
and so it stops at the birth of Christ.[16] The main significance of this work lies in the 
translations from Latin into Castilian.[16] Much like his chronicles, the ability of 
Alfonso's court to compile writings from a variety of cultures and translate them into 
Castilian left a historic impact on Spain.

Games[edit]

Alfonso also had the Libro de ajedrez, dados, y tablas ("Libro de los Juegos" (The 
Book of Games)) translated into Castilian from Arabic and added illustrations with the 
goal of perfecting the work.[17] It was completed in 1283.[18]

Music[edit]

Alfonso X commissioned or co-authored numerous works of music during his reign. 
These works included Cantigas d'escarnio e maldicer and the vast compilation 
Cantigas de Santa Maria ("Songs to the Virgin Mary"), which was written in Galician-
Portuguese and figures among the most important of his works. The Cantigas form one 
of the largest collections of vernacular monophonic songs to survive from the Middle 
Ages. They consist of 420 poems with musical notation. The poems are for the most 
part on miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary. One of the miracles Alfonso relates is his 
own healing in Puerto de Santa María.[citation needed]

Family[edit]

Violante was ten years old at the time of her marriage to Alfonso; she produced no 
children for several years and it was feared that she was barren. Alfonso almost had 
their marriage annulled, but they went on to have eleven children:
1.Berengaria (1253 – after 1284). She was betrothed to Louis, the son and heir of King 
Louis IX of France, but her fiance died prematurely in 1260. She entered the convent 
in Las Huelgas, where she was living in 1284.
2.Beatrice (1254–1280). She married William VII, Marquess of Montferrat.
3.Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante of Castile (23 October 1255 – 25 July 1275). He 
married Blanche, the daughter of King Louis IX of France, by whom he had two 
children. Because he predeceased his father, his younger brother Sancho inherited 
the throne.
4.Eleanor (1257–1275)
5.Sancho IV of Castile (13 May 1258 – 1295)
6.Constance (1258 – 22 August 1280), a nun at Las Huelgas.
7.Peter, Lord of Ledesma (June 1260 – 10 October 1283)
8.John, Lord of Valencia de Campos (March or April 1262 – 25 June 1319).
9.Isabella, died young.
10.Violant (1265–1296). She married Diego López V de Haro, Lord of Biscay
11.James, Lord of Cameros (August 1266 – 9 August 1284)

Alfonso X also had several illegitimate children. With Mayor Guillén de Guzmán, 
daughter of Guillén Pérez de Guzmán and of María González Girón, he fathered:
Beatrice, married King Afonso III of Portugal.

With Elvira Rodríguez de Villada, daughter of Rodrigo Fernández de Villada, he 
fathered:
Alfonso Fernández de Castilla (1242–1281), also known as el Niño, he held the title of 
"Señor de Molina y Mesa" through his marriage with Blanca Alfonso de Molina.

With María Alfonso de León, his aunt, the illegitimate daughter of the King Alfonso IX 
of Leon and Teresa Gil de Soverosa he had:
Berenguela Alfonso of Castile, who married after 1264 with Pedro Núñez de Guzmán 
but she died young leaving behind no descendants.

Parents
ALFONSEZ Fernando III "The Saint" (5 Aug 1201 - 30 May 1252)
VON HOHENSTAUFEN Elizabeth (1205 - 5 Nov 1235)

Siblings
____ Alfonso X "El Sabio" (23 Nov 1221 - 4 Apr 1284)

Marriage To OF ARAGON Yolanda (Violante) (8 Jun 1236 - 1301)
    m. 1249 

Notes

Parents
____ Jaime I "The Conqueror" (1 Feb 1207 - 25 Jul 1276)
____ Yolande (Jolan) (ABT 1215 - 12 Oct 1251)

Children by OF ARAGON Yolanda (Violante) 8 Jun 1236 - 1301
ALFONSEZ Sancho IV "the Brave" (12 May 1258 - 25 Apr 1295)

Marriage To GUZMAN-VILLENA Maria Mayor Guillen (1205 - 1262)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
PEREZ DE GUZMAN Guillen (ABT 1180 - 1233)
GIRON Maria Gonzalez (ABT 1185 - )

Children by GUZMAN-VILLENA Maria Mayor Guillen 1205 - 1262
____ Beatrix (1242 - 27 Oct 1303)

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