Alfonso de Cartagena
Alfonso de Cartagena was a significant figure in medieval Spain, born around 1384 and the son of Pablo de Santa Maria, a prominent Catholic bishop who had converted from Judaism. Following in his father's footsteps, Cartagena became the bishop of Burgos and played an influential role in the intertwined realms of politics and religion. He is best known for his work "Doctrinal de los caualleros," published around 1444, which offered insights into the duties of the nobility and addressed the moral conduct expected from them, specifically targeting individuals like the nobleman Diego Gómez de Sandoval. In addition to his treatise, Cartagena contributed to the intellectual landscape of his time through translations of classical works, including Cicero's "De inventione rhetorica" and Boccaccio's "De casibus virorum illustrium." His writings reflect a commitment to the cultural and theological discourse of the period, including a notable work, "Defensorium Unitatis Christianae," which presented a theological critique of Judaism. Cartagena's legacy is marked by his dual role as a cleric and scholar, deeply embedded in the socio-political fabric of his era.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Alfonso de Cartagena
Writer
- Born: 1384
- Birthplace: Probably Cartagena, Spain
- Died: July 22, 1456
- Place of death: Villasandino, Spain
Biography
Alfonso de Cartagena was born in Spain around 1384, the son of Pablo de Santa Maria. Pablo de Santa Maria, born Solomon Halevi, had converted from Judaism to Catholicism in 1390 and at the time of Alfonso de Cartagena’s birth was becoming a central figure in the Catholic Church. Pablo de Santa Maria would go on to become bishop of Cartagena in 1402 and later bishop of Burgos in 1412; his son Alfonso would follow his father not only as bishop of Burgos but even more important, as a source of great influence in medieval Spain’s closely tied worlds of politics and religion.
Cartagena is best remembered for his Doctrinal de los caualleros, which is believed to have been published sometime around 1444. Doctrinal de los caualleros was a treatise that examined and interpreted the laws of the day and that placed an emphasis on the duties of the nobility, from the monarchy on down. In fact, Cartagena dedicated the treatise to Diego Gómez de Sandoval, a nobleman whose conduct was apparently in particular need of reform.
Cartagena is also remembered for his translations of Cicero’s De inventione rhetorica (84 b.c.e.), which Cartagena dedicated to Duarte I of Portugal. Cartagena also translated Giovanni Boccaccio’s De casibus virorum illustrium (1355-1374), and wrote a detailed genealogy of the Spanish monarchy. In addition, he wrote Defensorium Unitatis Christianae, a theological attack on Judaism.