EL SABIO, Alfonso X, king of Leon and Castilla: b. 23 Nov. 1221; d. 21 April 1284. He was the son of Ferdinand III and Beatriz, daughter of Philip of Suabia and sister of Fred erick II of Germany. Most carefully educated, he succeeded his father to the throne in 1252, bringing with him to his administrative tasks the reputation of successes gained in several cam paigns against the Mohammedans. His reign was cursed with Insurrections led by powerful nobles, financial troubles and warlike move ments on the part of the Mohammedans. On the death of William of Holland, emperor of Germany, Alfonso laid claim to the throne as the direct heir. He was opposed in this by most of the nobles of Germany and by the Pope. Nevertheless he maintained the struggle against superior powers for 18 years. In this struggle he was often opposed by some of the most powerful ruling dukes of Spain. Notwith standing all his reverses he fought stubbornly on, claiming for himself the ancient title of king of the Romans; and signing his official documents with the great seal belonging to that dignity. He made ready several tunes to in vade Italy and Germany, but trouble at home withheld his arm when he was ready to strike, Finally the united efforts of his powerful ene mies and the threat of the Pope to excommu nicate him, combined with ever-increasing at home, forced Alfonso, in 1275, to re nounce his claims upon the ancient throne of the Romans. The opposition of the successive popes to the claims of Alfonso on crown of Germany was due tothe fact that he was the representative of the Suabian princes, long the bitter and uncompromising enemies of the papacy. Alfonso was the more inclined to make peace with his enemies abroad in 1275 be cause of the increased trouble which the Mo hanunedans were giving him at home. In Gra nada, Murcia, Andalucia, Algarve and all the populous centres from Murcia to Jerez the Moors rose up against the Christian king in an effort to drive Christianity out of Spain. Al fonso besieged and captured Jerez, Medina Sidonia, Rota, Santucar, Lebrija and Arcos ,• and the Castile fleet, under the command of Don Juan Garcia de Villamayor, took Cadiz. In 1264 Jaime of AragOn came to the aid of Al fonso. The former captured the province of Murcia while Alfonso carried on the war against Andalucia. These constant wars and the struggle against Italy and Germany forced the king to increase the taxes. This estranged many of the nobles upon whom fell this burden of increased taxation; and Alfonso was forced to make concessions to his underlords which gave them great facilities for the oppression of their tenants. Thus the king ultimately lost the
goodwill of nobles and peasants alike. The former, deserting the Castilian king, joined hands with the Moorish sovereigns of Granada, Mahomed I and Mahomed II. The treaty of peace with the Pope and with Germany in 1275, however, strengthened Alfonso and enabled him to make temporary terms with his insurgent nobles. Alfonso departed for Rome (1275) for an interview with the Pope, leaving the cares of his kingdom in charge of his eldest son, Prince Fernando de la Cerda. The latter sent an army unter Nufio Gonzalez de Lara into Cordoba. There the invading forces met with considerable success at first; but in a short while they were surrounded by a greatly supe rior Moorish force and defeated with heavy loss, among the dead being Nufio and over 400 of his bodyguard. The survivors took refuge in the town of Ecipa (May 1275). The regent died in July while on his way to the , relief of the besieged Castilian forces; and Sancno, second son of King Al fonso, a boy of 18, at once took charge of the expeditionary force which he managed with considerable skill. Alfonso, on his return from Italy, made a two years' peace with the Moors, on the conclusion of which the latter again made an attempt to conquer the Christian pos sessions in Spain. Don Sancho led an army into Granada where he fell into an ambuscade and suffered defeat, losing over 3,000 of his fin est knights. Sancho continued with the remain der of his forces on into the heart of Granada, burning villages and towns and laying the country he traversed. But the Castilians were forced to retreat to Cordoba (1281). The fol lowing year Alfonso and Sancho quarreled over the succession to the throne and the son de clared himself in open insurrection against the father. Sancho stirred up the towns of the country against the king and even sought the aid of the enemies of Christian Spain. But the Pope threw his influence in favor of Alfonso and most of the nobles, obeying the spiritual head of the Church, returned to their alle: glance (1282). Alfonso disinherited his son and carried the war on with the aid of Yacub, ruler of Morocco. The insurrection lost ground rapidly, butjust as everything was turning in his favor Alfonso died.