The Semblanzas de reyes, known in full as the Compendio de crónicas de los reyes del Antiguo Testamento, gentiles, cónsules y emperadores romanos, reyes godos y de los reinos de Castilla, Aragón, Navarra y Portugal, is an illuminatedOld Castilian collection of biographies of rulers compiled around 1315/1320 for King Alfonso XI.[1][2] It survives in a single late copy, probably from the 1470s, now manuscript 7415 in the Biblioteca Nacional de España.[1][3]
The last Visigothic king, Roderic (left), with his crown falling off and his victorious opponent, Ṭāriq ibn Ziyād (right), holding a partially sheathed sword
The manuscript is made of parchment and consists of 44 folios. Each page has two biographies in parallel columns beneath an image of both rulers.[4] The text is written in Gothic cursiva textualis, with the only decorated initials at the start of the prologue and the first biography. Beneath the first biographies there is an unidentified coat of arms—probably indicating that the original owner was from the Lordship of Biscay.[7] The iconography of the manuscript is stereotyped and repetitive.[2] The drawing is rough but colourful with ample use of gold.[8] All the kings are depicted enthroned in a niche with Gothic characteristics.[2][4] Most have long hair and beards.[2] They all carry either a sceptre or a sword and either an orb or a book. The greatest variation is found in the headdresses.[4] The counts of Castile and Portugal, for example, do not wear crowns. There is other variation in the details. The swords vary between sheathed and unsheathed, and the design of the sceptres and orbs varies.[9]
Despite the stereotyping, some individual rulers are provided with distinguishing details. Alfonso XI and Henry I of Castile are portrayed as children. Sancho the Fat is portrayed as fat. Pious rulers have a halo and a globus cruciger. Legislators are shown holding a book. The most distinctive rulers are Muḥammad and Ṭāriq, who are both depicted in eastern dress.[10] Muḥammad is depicted, not as a military leader, but as a preacher. He points with his left hand to a book in his right. He appears beside Athanaric, the first king of the Visigoths, just as Ṭāriq, the Muslim conqueror of the Visigoths, appears beside the last Visigothic king, Roderic.[11]
Bernabé-Pons, Luis F. (2022). "Visual (Mis)Representations of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad". IKON: Journal of Iconographic Studies. 15: 115–128.
González Muñoz, Luis Fernando (2018). "Consideraciones sobre las representaciones gráficas del profeta Muḥammad en manuscritos cristianos occidentales: Siglos XII–XVI" (PDF). De Medio Aevo. 12: 47–68.
Nickson, Tom (2015). Toledo Cathedral: Building Histories in Medieval Castile. Penn State University Press.
Nogales Rincón, David (2006). "Las series iconográficas de la realeza castellano-leonesa (siglos XII–XV)". En la España medieval (Extra 1): 81–112.
Rodríguez Porto, Rosa María (2006). "María de Molina y la educación de Alfonso XI: las Semblanzas de reyes del ms. 7415 de la Biblioteca Nacional". Quintana (5): 219–231.
Rodríguez Porto, Rosa María (2016). "La Crónica Geral de Espanha de 1344 (ms. 1 A de la Academia das Ciências) y la tradición alfonsí". e-Spania. 25.
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Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional de España, MS 7415, full scan of manuscript
December 20, 2023
semblanzas, reyes, known, full, compendio, crónicas, reyes, antiguo, testamento, gentiles, cónsules, emperadores, romanos, reyes, godos, reinos, castilla, aragón, navarra, portugal, illuminated, castilian, collection, biographies, rulers, compiled, around, 131. The Semblanzas de reyes known in full as the Compendio de cronicas de los reyes del Antiguo Testamento gentiles consules y emperadores romanos reyes godos y de los reinos de Castilla Aragon Navarra y Portugal is an illuminated Old Castilian collection of biographies of rulers compiled around 1315 1320 for King Alfonso XI 1 2 It survives in a single late copy probably from the 1470s now manuscript 7415 in the Biblioteca Nacional de Espana 1 3 The last Visigothic king Roderic left with his crown falling off and his victorious opponent Ṭariq ibn Ziyad right holding a partially sheathed swordThe Semblanzas consists of a prologue followed by 172 short biographies of in order the kings of Israel and Judah the kings of the gentile nations Assyria Babylonia Egypt Alexander the Great Roman consuls and Roman emperors Muḥammad the kings of the Visigoths Ṭariq ibn Ziyad and the rulers of the Iberian realms Asturias Leon Castile Navarre Aragon Portugal 2 4 The biographical sketches vary in length between five and twenty nine lines 4 The dating of the work is based on the image of Alfonso XI which depicts a child 5 The work was almost certainly produced on the orders of Queen Maria de Molina the young king s regent and grandmother 6 The manuscript is made of parchment and consists of 44 folios Each page has two biographies in parallel columns beneath an image of both rulers 4 The text is written in Gothic cursiva textualis with the only decorated initials at the start of the prologue and the first biography Beneath the first biographies there is an unidentified coat of arms probably indicating that the original owner was from the Lordship of Biscay 7 The iconography of the manuscript is stereotyped and repetitive 2 The drawing is rough but colourful with ample use of gold 8 All the kings are depicted enthroned in a niche with Gothic characteristics 2 4 Most have long hair and beards 2 They all carry either a sceptre or a sword and either an orb or a book The greatest variation is found in the headdresses 4 The counts of Castile and Portugal for example do not wear crowns There is other variation in the details The swords vary between sheathed and unsheathed and the design of the sceptres and orbs varies 9 Despite the stereotyping some individual rulers are provided with distinguishing details Alfonso XI and Henry I of Castile are portrayed as children Sancho the Fat is portrayed as fat Pious rulers have a halo and a globus cruciger Legislators are shown holding a book The most distinctive rulers are Muḥammad and Ṭariq who are both depicted in eastern dress 10 Muḥammad is depicted not as a military leader but as a preacher He points with his left hand to a book in his right He appears beside Athanaric the first king of the Visigoths just as Ṭariq the Muslim conqueror of the Visigoths appears beside the last Visigothic king Roderic 11 Notes edit a b Nickson 2015 p 177 a b c d e Nogales Rincon 2006 p 106 Rodriguez Porto 2016 a b c d e Rodriguez Porto 2006 p 220 Rodriguez Porto 2006 p 219 Rodriguez Porto 2006 p 225 Rodriguez Porto 2006 p 221 Rodriguez Porto 2006 pp 220 221 Nogales Rincon 2006 pp 106 107 Nogales Rincon 2006 pp 108 109 Gonzalez Munoz 2018 p 51 Bibliography editBernabe Pons Luis F 2022 Visual Mis Representations of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad IKON Journal of Iconographic Studies 15 115 128 Gonzalez Munoz Luis Fernando 2018 Consideraciones sobre las representaciones graficas del profeta Muḥammad en manuscritos cristianos occidentales Siglos XII XVI PDF De Medio Aevo 12 47 68 Nickson Tom 2015 Toledo Cathedral Building Histories in Medieval Castile Penn State University Press Nogales Rincon David 2006 Las series iconograficas de la realeza castellano leonesa siglos XII XV En la Espana medieval Extra 1 81 112 Rodriguez Porto Rosa Maria 2006 Maria de Molina y la educacion de Alfonso XI las Semblanzas de reyes del ms 7415 de la Biblioteca Nacional Quintana 5 219 231 Rodriguez Porto Rosa Maria 2016 La Cronica Geral de Espanha de 1344 ms 1 A de la Academia das Ciencias y la tradicion alfonsi e Spania 25 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Compendio de cronicas de reyes Biblioteca Nacional de Espana Madrid Biblioteca Nacional de Espana MS 7415 full scan of manuscript Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Semblanzas de reyes amp oldid 1182683185, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
