March 14, 2022: King Felipe inaugurated the exhibition “Alfonso X: el legado de un rey precursor” (Alfonso X: the legacy of a precursor king) at the Museum of Santa Cruz de Toledo, organized by Acción Cultural Española, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Toledo City Council , the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha and the Toledo Provincial Council, which carries out a complete journey through the life and legacy of the monarch, born in Toledo in 1221, whose 8th centenary was commemorated on November 23.
The exhibition, whose curator is Ricardo Izquierdo Benito, professor of Medieval History at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, is organized into five sections. The first of them “Alfonso, infante (1221-1252)”, collects the first decades of the future king, from his birth in Toledo until the death of his father, Fernando III, through his participation in the conquest of the kingdom of Murcia and an early interest in translations through texts such as the Lapidary.
“The ruling king (1252-1284): a reign of lights and shadows”, reviews the second half of his life from different perspectives, such as the symbolic representation of the monarch, the economy, legislative work and relations with the Church . “The Wise King”, the third of the five sections, reflects his interest in science, chess and devotion to the Virgin, without forgetting a context in which the first universities flourished and Gothic architecture renewed the semblance of cathedrals such as that of Toledo.
“The end of the reign” presents the convulsive relationship of the Wise King with the infant Don Sancho, who will ultimately be his successor. Finally, “The vision of the king from posterity” gathers both the vision of historians and that of the artists who contributed to shaping the collective imagination around the monarch.
Through almost 180 pieces from national and international institutions such as the National Library of Spain, the Prado Museum, National Heritage or the Alhambra, visitors can learn about the history and sociopolitical context in which this great character of history lived Spanish, as well as the great literary, scientific, historical and legal work that he sponsored, supervised and in which he often participated with his own writing and in collaboration with a group of Latin, Hebrew and Islamic intellectuals known as the School of Translators of Toledo.
“Alfonso X the Wise: the legacy of a precursor king” will remain installed in the Museum of Santa Cruz de Toledo until June 19, from Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. The visit will be free and free. It will be possible to book guided tours online at www.exposicionalfonsox.com.
