Happy 800th Birthday to the Wise King - Feliz 800º cumpleaños al Rey Sabio

On November 23, 1221, a boy was born who would become Alfonso X, King of Castile and León. 

Even his political enemies couldn’t tarnish his legacy of intellectual curiosity and cultural open-mindedness. 

I took the opportunity of Alfonso’s personal appearance in in Cantiga 321 to portray the empathetic and kind ruler I personally hope he was in Our Lady's Troubadour. (The excerpt is from "Clear Water." But more about that story in another post.) 

Happy eight-hundredth birthday to the Wise King! 

In honor of this extraordinary occasion, I'd like to share my translation of one of the most autobiographical Cantigas de Santa Maria. 

Every tenth cantiga is a song of praise. These usually don't have plots, but do have more daring poetic and musical forms. Cantiga 200 is special among these special cantigas because here, Alfonso X himself uses the form of praise to present an autobiographical sketch of sorts. It's general, but it's told from an emotional point of view, unlike other, more specific such stories. 

Cantiga 200

Refrain: I've praised, I praise, and I will keep praising St. Mary.

Because among all the most honored men alive today, she's shown me the most blessings, as I will recount.

She made me descend from good people and wanted me to fully rein and be king.

And with her mercies, she aided me in grave illnesses. Therefore, you must know that I will serve her. 

And to those who wished me ill and conspired and plotted against me, she gave them what they deserved, as I will prove. 

She pulled me out of great poverty and gave me riches, and so I will tell all her noble qualities that I can.

She who doesn't err and never erred made me the lord of a good land and helped me in every war when I called on her. 

She delivered me from misfortune, death, and injury. So, know, good people, that I will die for her. 

So everyone help me pray with good will for her to help me, since I have need.

And whenever she desires, that she will take me from the tumult of this world, and that I will see her whom I've always loved. 

***

I believe and hope Alfonso X achieved what he's asking for in this personal poem. 

Perhaps the greatest present we can give him on his birthday is the feat of remembering him 800 years later. 

This is the main goal of Our Lady's Troubadour. 

And, as Our Lady's Troubadour is available in both English and the Spanish Alfonso X did so much to create: 

El 23 de noviembre de 1221, nació un niño que se convertiría en Alfonso X, rey de Castilla y León.

Ni siquiera sus enemigos en la política han podido mancillar su legado de la curiosidad intelectual y mentalidad abierta, al final.

Aproveché la oportunidad de su aparición en la Cantiga 321 para retratar a un soberano empático y bondadoso, como yo personalmente espero que fuera. (La foto tiene un fragmento de "Agua clara". Escribiré más sobre ese relato en otro momento).

¡Feliz 800º cumpleaños al Rey Sabio!

Trovador de SantaMaría es mi humilde obsequio.