Los Libros del Saber de Astronomía, contain a large number of drawings of the heavens, various astronomical instruments, etc., as well as a compendium of what was then known relating to this science. In the introduction to the edition which consists of five 45 × 33 cm. volumes by Manuel Rico y Sinobas, Madrid, 1868, the editor states that among the compilers were 8 Christians and 6 Jews; while the works of more than 17 Arabs were consulted (p. XCII).
La Primera Crónica General (edition of Ramón Menéndez Pidal in Nueva Biblioteca de Autores Españoles, vol. 5, 1906) is an account of the history of Spain from the time of Moses to the death of Fernando III, el Santo. This, says Sr. Pidal in his Estudios Literarios (p. 208 ff.), is the first chronicle written in Spain which considers the Spaniards as a Roman instead of a Gothic people. Being guided by the results of his research, the latest and most authoritative on the subject, I have included in this study only the first part of the Crónica, i. e., chapters 1-566, as the remaining part is probably the work of Alfonso’s successor.
La General Estoria is still unedited. It is a work of five parts, each of which is in size equal to the Primera Crónica General. It purports to be a history of the world from the creation to the time of Alfonso and is based primarily on the Bible, altho other authorities, both sacred and profane, are freely drawn upon. For this study I have been able to consult only those extracts that appear in the Antología of Sr. Antonio G. Solalinde.
El Lapidario treats of 360 stones, dividing them into twelve groups describes their appearance and the country or locality in which they are found, bringing in in this way interesting comments on manners and customs, scraps of folk-lore, etc., as well as discussing the medicinal and supernatural properties of the various stones introduced. The edition used was that of José T. Montaña, Antonio Selfa, and Hippólito Rodrigáñez, Madrid, 1881.
El Libro de Ajedrez. A two volume photographic edition of this work was brought out in Leipzig in 1913 by J. G. White under the title of A Spanish Treatise of Chess written by the order of King Alfonso, the Sage, in 1283. It is a careful discussion of the game and description of the various moves. As well as chess, the games of dice and backgammon are included.
In this study have been included only those works which may, without reasonable doubt, be considered to be the productions of Alfonso el Sabio or works in whose composition he took part in the manner indicated below. Those which may have been more or less plausibly attributed to him but whose authorship still remains in doubt, have been purposely omitted. Of these latter the most important is Calila y Dimna, which many still maintain was translated by the order of Alfonso.[16] But even if this be correct the book is a purely allegorical one, entirely foreign to the spirit and manner of Spain, and can in no way aid us in understanding the superstitions and religious beliefs of the Spanish nation.
While it is true that Alfonso did not with his own hands write out the works included in our study, nevertheless the compilers themselves bear witness to the fact that he did carefully edit them, scrutinizing the contents, eliminating the non-essential and perfecting the language. In the General Estoria is found this significant statement:
“Assi como dixiemos nos muchas uezes: el rey face un libro, non por quel el escriua con sus manos, mas porque compone las razones del, e las enmienda et yegua e enderesça, e muestra la manera de cómo se deuen fazer, e desi escriue las qui él manda, pero dezimos por esta razon que el rey faze el libro”.[17]
Small wonder then that the king realized the value of quietude and specified as one of the essentials for the making of good laws that
“Otrosi deben guardar que quando las fecieren no haya ni ruido nin otra cosa que les estorbe, et que lo fagan con consejo de homes entendidos et sabidores, et leales et sin codicia.”[18]