In this magisterial work, Joseph O'Callaghan offers a detailed account of the establishment of Alfonso X's legal code, the Libro de las leyes or Siete Partidas, and its applications in the daily life of thirteenth-century Iberia, both within and far beyond the royal courts. O'Callaghan argues that Alfonso X, el Sabio (the Wise), was the Justinian of his age, one of the truly great legal minds of human history.

Alfonso X, the Justinian of His Age highlights the struggles the king faced in creating a new, coherent, inclusive, and all-embracing body of law during his reign, O'Callaghan also considers Alfonso X's own understanding of his role as king, lawgiver, and defender of the faith in order to evaluate the impact of his achievement on the administration of justice. Indeed, such was the power and authority of the Alfonsine code that it proved the king's downfall when his son invoked it to challenge his rule.

Throughout this soaring legal and historical biography, O'Callaghan reminds us of the long-term impacts of Alfonso X's legal works, not just on Castilian (and later, Iberian) life, but on the administration of justice across the world.

About the Author

Joseph O'Callaghan is Professor Emeritus of History at Fordham University and the author, editor, or translator of numerous books, including the now-classic A History of Medieval Spain.

Reviews

O'Callaghan offers a pungent closing contrast between the legal creativity of Alfonso's age and that of our present era.

* Choice *

The most recent addition to an extraordinary record of publication embodies a shared understanding that learning should serve as a means to the common good. O'Callaghan's newest work is characteristically meticulous; it brings him in line with recent, cutting-edge work.

* American Historical Review *

Joseph O'Callaghan's books have always been a pleasure to read, and his direct style and extensive knowledge of the Castilian thirteenth century, and of Alfonso X in particular, make any new work by him on the subject automatically a reference book for students and researchers of the history of the Iberian Peninsula.

* Speculum *



Book Information
ISBN 9781501735899
Author Joseph F. O'Callaghan
Format Hardback
Page Count 390
Imprint Cornell University Press
Publisher Cornell University Press
Weight(grams) 907g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 32mm