Alfonso X El Sabio

Medieval Spanish King and Cultural Patron

Alfonso X El Sabio, also known as Alfonso the Wise, was not a contemporary artist, composer, or band but rather a significant historical figure who was the King of Castile, León, and Galicia during the 13th century. He is renowned for his contributions to Spanish culture and literature, particularly for his patronage of the arts and sciences. One of his most enduring legacies is the compilation of the "Cantigas de Santa Maria," a collection of over 400 poems with musical notation, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and written in Galician-Portuguese during his reign. These cantigas are among the largest collections of monophonic songs from the Middle Ages and are crucial to our understanding of medieval music. They are often performed and recorded by early music ensembles today. However, Alfonso X did not produce albums in the modern sense as he lived in a time before such technology existed. The titles "Cantigas De Toledo" and "Cantigas De Castilla-La Mancha" do not correspond to known works directly attributed to Alfonso X but may be modern interpretations or collections inspired by his legacy or medieval Iberian music in general.