13th-Century Spanish Literature: Alfonso X, Juan Manuel, and the Auto de Los Reyes Magos

Alfonso X

Issues

Alfonso X aimed to preserve and promote Castilian language and culture. He believed in the importance of recording all areas of knowledge, including legal, social, economic, and scientific topics. This is reflected in the variety of themes present in his work.

Right

The Book of Laws, or Seven Parts, aimed to provide clear and rational legal rules for the people. It drew inspiration from Roman law and existing legal traditions.

Sciences

Alfonso X commissioned treatises on astronomy and studies on the properties of gemstones, demonstrating his interest in scientific knowledge.

Games and Entertainment

His work on chess, dice, and tables, translated from Arabic, provides insight into various forms of entertainment popular at the time.

History

Alfonso X sought to document the history of humankind from its origins to his own era. This ambition resulted in two significant, though unfinished, works: General Estoria and Crónica General. Both begin with biblical times and demonstrate his commitment to historical documentation.

Style

Writing in Castilian was not only about the message but also about the way it was conveyed. Alfonso X paid close attention to syntax and lexicon.

Lexicon

He recognized the need to incorporate words for concepts previously confined to learned languages like Latin or Arabic, enriching the Castilian vocabulary.

Syntax

He employed longer sentences and conjunctions to connect ideas, contributing to the development of a more complex and nuanced writing style in Castilian.

Juan Manuel

Themes

Juan Manuel's work explores a wide range of themes, including vanity, hypocrisy, justice, hunting, honor, and friendship. These themes are always treated with a clear didactic and moral intention.

Style

Juan Manuel was a conscious stylist who paid careful attention to his writing. He employed a rich vocabulary and varied sentence structure to create engaging and thought-provoking works.

Books

His literary production includes notable works such as:

• Libro del caballero et del escudero (Book of the Knight and the Squire)
• Libro de los estados (Book of the States)
• Libro del conde Lucanor (Count Lucanor, or The Book of Patronio)

Libro del conde Lucanor (Count Lucanor, or The Book of Patronio)

This collection of parables exemplifies Juan Manuel's didactic and moral approach. Each story presents a moral dilemma and its resolution, offering guidance to the reader. The work is divided into three parts:

1. Collection of exempla (short stories) with a clear didactic and moral intention.
2. Collection of one hundred proverbs.
3. Treatise on the salvation of the soul.

Auto de los Reyes Magos

This 12th-century play is the first known theatrical work preserved in written Castilian. It is not an original creation but an adaptation of a French Ordo Stellae (Order of the Star). The play incorporates elements from the apocryphal gospels and is divided into five scenes:

1. The three kings discuss the possible meaning of the star.
2. They agree to follow the star and seek the newborn king.
3. The kings visit King Herod, who is troubled by the news of a new king's birth. They present their gifts.
4. Herod consults with his court of wise men to determine if his reign is in danger.
5. The wise men debate the meaning of scripture that prophesied the coming of Jesus Christ. Two rabbis clash over the interpretation.