Chapter One. Ideas of Kingship in the Preambles of Alfonso VIII’s Charters

Abstract

This chapter examines the surviving royal charters of Alfonso VIII of Castile, focusing on those preambles and other ancillary components that express ideas of kingship. The preambles to his charters—some short formulaic statements, others displaying rhetorical flourishes—emphasized certain aspects of his manifold responsibilities. Notable among them was the administration of justice summarized in the principle “to render to each one his due.” That task was carried out in the royal court, employing a variety of legal procedures, including the inquest. As the leader of a society that was professedly Christian, the king was also expected to provide moral and financial support to the Church and its institutions. By doing so, the community was assured of God's continuing favor and a life of peace and prosperity. That tranquility was threatened, however, by the Almohad menace that loomed ever larger. Thus, it was the king's task to defend the patria and, by extension, the whole of Christendom (Christianitas), against the possibility of Muslim conquest.