Don Juan Handbook

Don Juan Manuel (1282 - 1348) is the one of most important Spanish writers of the Moyen-âge. Member of the nobility Castilian, gift Juan Manuel also belonged to the royal family. Fruit of the marriage between Beatrice of Savoy and infant it Manual gift of Castille, wire puîné of the king Ferdinand III, he was consequently grandson of this last and nephew of the king Alphonse X. Author of many narrative and didactic works (tales, mirrors,…) on the political contents, gift Juan Manuel also was essential like an eminently powerful and active member of the aristocracy of the kingdom of Castille, having had to be opposed very often to monarchy.

Biography

Don Juan Manuel is born on May 5th 1282 with the castle from Escalona, in current the Province of Tolède. Its royal blood, and its talents of warrior and policy enabled him to obtain the title of Adelantado Mayor of Frontera in the kingdom of Murcie (i.e. moreover high representative of the king in this kingdom, under sovereignty Castilian). Wishing to benefit from this function, it attempted to use of means of pressure with respect to the monarchs, in particular by being regularly combined to the king Aragon.

Grandson of Ferdinand III, gift Juan Manuel always regarded the line of this one as legitimate on the throne of Castille, and thus perpetually was critical towards the descendants of the king Sanche IV, perceived like usurpers. He takes an active part in the internal conflicts which agitate the minorities of the kings Ferdinand IV and Alphonse XI, king of which he will become the most savage adversary, after having ensured the regency of 1319 to 1325.

When, in 1325, Alphonse XI goes up finally on the throne, gift Juan Manuel is quickly isolated royal sphere, and takes refuge in its castle of Peñafiel, from where it directs his grounds, vast and rich, which confer a certain prestige to him among the nobility of the kingdom. Constantly fights about it against the monarchical authority, it benefits from the least occasion to rebel. However, authoritative character of the king Alphonse XI, and its engagement without fault with the service of the defense of the monarchical institution little by little will reduce the ambitions of gift Juan Manuel, which will end up being submitted to the king, little before its death in 1348.

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