Historia silense facts for kids
The Historia silense is a very old history book written in medieval Latin. It's also known as the Chronica silense or Historia seminense. Its real name is probably Historia legionense.
This book tells the story of the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal). It covers the time from the Visigoths (around 400s to 700s AD) up to the early years of Alfonso VI of León and Castile's rule (1065–1073).
Even though it was meant to be about King Alfonso VI, it mostly focuses on his father, Ferdinand I (1037–1065). For earlier times, the Historia silense used information from other famous historians like Isidore of Seville. It also used the Chronicle of Alfonso III and the work of Sampiro. This book is important because it helps us know what Sampiro's lost history was like.
Contents
When Was It Written?
Historians can guess when the Historia silense was written by looking at clues inside the book. In one part, the author mentions that King Alfonso VI's "fragile life has been run." This means the book was written after Alfonso died in 1109.
Another clue is a mention of Cardinal Rainerius. He was a church leader who held a meeting in León in 1090. Rainerius became Pope Paschal II in 1099 and died in 1118. Since the book doesn't say he died, it's likely the author was writing between 1109 and 1118.
The way the old copies of the book look also suggests it was written in the early 1100s.
Who Wrote This History?
The author of the Historia said he was a monk from a place called domus seminis. For a long time, people thought this meant the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, a Benedictine monastery. This idea came from a note in an old copy of the book.
However, many historians now think the author was from a monastery in León, not Castile. The author doesn't seem very interested in Castilian things. He also doesn't mention the Silos monastery at all in his history.
The term domus seminis might have been a mistake. It could have been a short way of writing Domnis Sanctis, which means "at the lord saints'." This name was sometimes used for the Sahagún monastery in León. Sahagún was very important during Ferdinand I's rule.
Another idea is that domus seminis was a mistake for sancti Iohannis, meaning Saint John's. There was a monastery in León dedicated to John the Baptist. In 1063, King Ferdinand I and his wife, Sancha, moved the bones of Isidore of Seville to this monastery. After that, the monastery became known as San Isidoro de León.
If the author was from San Isidoro, it makes sense. He calls the church "this church," which suggests he was writing from there. He also seems to know a lot about Urraca of Zamora, King Alfonso's sister. Urraca was a big supporter of San Isidoro and was buried there.
Even though the idea has changed, the author is sometimes still called the Monk of Silos.
What Does the Book Cover?
The Historia silense is like an introduction to a longer, unfinished book about King Alfonso VI. It sets the scene for his story.
The first few parts of the book describe the Visigoths kingdom. Then, the author explains why he is writing the history. He says he wants to describe "the deeds of the lord Alfonso, the orthodox emperor of Spain."
The book then tells about the start of Alfonso VI's reign. It talks about his fights with his brothers, Sancho II of Castile and García II of Galicia.
A large part of the Historia uses information from older history books. For example, it uses the Chronicle of Alfonso III to cover the years from 694 to 866. It also includes parts from Sampiro's work, which covers the years up to 1028.
After using these older texts, the monk who wrote the Historia adds his own story again. He writes about León between 956 and 1037. The last part of the book focuses on the reign of King Ferdinand I. It includes a story about how Isidore's bones were moved to San Isidoro in 1063. The very last event mentioned in the book is Ferdinand's funeral in 1066.
Main Ideas and Messages
The Historia silense praises the Visigothic kings. It says they were the most religious rulers in Christendom. The kingdom of León is shown as the true heir to the Visigoths. The book says the Leonese kings were punished by the "barbarians" (Muslims) but then saved the churches from Muslim rule.
The author also liked that Alfonso VI supported the Roman rite (a type of church service) over the Mozarabic rite. This was seen as a sign of being truly religious. The book even calls the Leonese kings "royal stock of the Goths," linking them directly to the old Visigothic rulers.
The Historia also doesn't think much of the French in Spain. It says that in the past, the French helped rebels against the Visigoths. The author compares Charlemagne's army to the French army that helped Alfonso VI in 1087. These French soldiers were paid a lot but didn't do much against the new Muslim invaders, the Almoravids. The author suggests Charlemagne also left Spain without much glory. This anti-French feeling might have been because the French were helping Aragon at the time the book was written.
Why Was This Book Written?
The Historia might have been written to make people in Spain feel better. It could have been a way to say that they would get through the wars with Aragon and the Almoravid conquests. Just like they survived the wars a century earlier and the Muslim conquests four centuries before. The book suggests that Christian Spain would be strong again.
Some historians think the Historia was like a "mirror for princes." This means it was a guide for young rulers. Queen Urraca's son, Alfonso VII, was young enough to learn from it. However, he grew up far from San Isidoro.
A more likely person to read it might have been Urraca's oldest daughter, Sancha Raimúndez. She probably grew up in León and was a big supporter of San Isidoro. She was also very active during her brother Alfonso VII's rule. So, the Historia might have helped shape how Alfonso VII ruled, through Sancha's advice.
Another idea is that the Historia was actually meant to be a bit critical of Alfonso VI. This idea comes from a tricky sentence in the book. Some people think it refers to a commentary on the Bible's "Books of Kings." They see parallels between King Solomon (who married foreign women) and Alfonso VI (who married a Frenchwoman and had a relationship with a Muslim woman). In this view, Alfonso's father, Ferdinand, was seen as a perfect king, much like King David was to Solomon.
See also
In Spanish: Historia legionense para niños
