Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 62.djvu/178

172 Alfonso X., who was the son of Ferdinand III., had abilities and ambition, but was not at all a man suited to the times. He was weak and irresolute, not obeyed by his subordinates, and his reign was far from successful. His time was devoted to learning and the advancement of science, which alone prospered under his rule. He showed a slight amount of cruelty, but this was not conspicuous compared to others in this age and land. There is no question but that Alfonso X. was a man of great intellect.

His character forms an exception and is the only one of the sort I have met with in this region. It is easily accounted for by a combination of ancestral qualities, but such combinations are apparently far from common. He was a poet, scientist and writer, and through his influence learning was greatly advanced. He is said to have been the first royal personage who was also a man of letters. The marriage of Alfonso X. with Violanta undoubtedly served to a certain extent to perpetuate the strength of the stock, for his wife was a daughter of James, the Giant Conqueror of Aragon. Still James with his great abilities as a warrior was violent, cruel, passionate and licentious, and aside from James there is not much distinguished blood in the characteristics of Violanta 's pedigree.

We now come to a period of misfortune for christian Spain, and it is interesting to note how closely the welfare of the country follows the character of the sovereigns, how great the impress of the ruler was on his times in those early days in spite of the theoretical representation of the people in the popular branch of the Cortes.

During the reigns of the next two succeeding monarchs, Sancho IV. and Ferdinand IV., the family feuds and lack of a strong and wise ruler affected the country so disastrously that practically anarchy may be said to have prevailed.

Sancho IV. inherited the cruel, passionate disposition of his grandfather, James of Aragon, without his wisdom. His character was also warlike, vigorous and cruel and the only good fruits of his reign were his conquests against the Moors, whom he defeated in Andalusia and even carried his victories into Tarifa, a town in the very furthest extremity of Spain. The marriage Sancho made, when considered on the grounds of perpetuating greatness, may be considered half or more than half good. His queen, Mary, can be seen on the chart to be descended from largely 'obscure' stock, though she was the great-granddaughter of the famous heroine, Berengaria, already mentioned. She was her worthy descendant, for she repeated her character in every particular. Resolute, calm and devoted, she was an astute diplomatist and politician. Whatever successes there were were due largely to her.