Enquête hagiographique et mythification historique
In 1572, the chronicler Ambrosio de Morales, armed with a royal writ, was commissioned to travel about the Kingdoms of Galicia and Leon and the Principality of Asturias and there draw up an inventory of relics, old books and royal tombs preserved in churches and monasteries. Morales travelled over t...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Published: |
Casa de Velázquez
2003-11-01
|
| Series: | Mélanges de la Casa de Velázquez |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/mcv/244 |
| Summary: | In 1572, the chronicler Ambrosio de Morales, armed with a royal writ, was commissioned to travel about the Kingdoms of Galicia and Leon and the Principality of Asturias and there draw up an inventory of relics, old books and royal tombs preserved in churches and monasteries. Morales travelled over the ancient Astur-Leones kingdom, chosen for its historic importance as the starting-point of the reconquest and repopulation from the 8th century on and as a region richly endowed with relics, some of the them the oldest in Spain. Morales judged many of these relics deserve a place in the palace-monastery of El Escorial. Philip II, as it happened, was desirous of enriching his personal collection, not only in token of his fervour but also to demonstrate the wealth and great age of Spanish Catholic devotion. In the course of his research, Morales also drew up an inventory of the sources of «modern» Spanish Catholicism, duly respectful of the decrees of the Council of Trent. His survey reveals a historic memory at once adulterated by apologetics of saints and conquerors, and revitalised by the reform of Catholicism fostered by Philip II. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0076-230X 2173-1306 |