The Alfonsine Bible

The experience the Toledo scholars gained when translating such an abundance of material must have proved very useful when Alfonso ordered the translation of portions of the Bible into Spanish. According to Spanish historian Juan de Mariana, the king sponsored this Bible translation in the hope that through it the Spanish language would be polished and enriched. Doubtless, such early translation of the Bible did indeed contribute to the development of the Spanish language.

The king regarded the Bible as valuable for the instruction of mankind. He wrote in the prologue of Crónica de España: “If we consider the benefit that flows from the Sacred Scriptures, we see that it lies in the instruction they give us regarding the creation of the world, the coming of the patriarchs, . . . the promised coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his passion, resurrection and ascension.”

He also supervised the preparation of the ambitious literary project that he called the General Estoria. It included a Spanish translation of portions of the Hebrew Scriptures. (A translation of portions of the Greek Scriptures was added later.) This impressive work, known as the Alfonsine Bible (Biblia Alfonsina), was the largest of its kind produced in the Middle Ages. It was copied many times and partly translated into Portuguese and Catalan.

[Pictures on page 13]

The king with translators from Toledo (above); his calligraphers (below); the Gospel of Luke in the “Biblia Alfonsina” (bottom)