Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada

Biography

It made its studies with Bologna (Italy) and Paris, where it acquired a vast culture. Of return in Spain, it was named bishop of Osma in 1208 and archbishop of Tolède in 1209. Defender of the primacy of the seat tolédan. It posed the first stone of the new cathedral of Gothic style.

Since Tolède, it in particular influenced Alphonse VIII of Castille and Ferdinand III of Castille.

It took share the diplomatic preparation of the Bataille of Mow Navas de Tolosa (1212), against the Almohades, where it personally took share. It obtains from the pope Innocent III (pope 1198-1216), which it issues the crusade against Almohades, with same indulgences for the crusaders as those granted to the Holy Land combatants.

In 1217 it received hands of the pope Honorius III (1216-1227) the order to organize the crusade of all the Christian kingdoms against the Moslems, in the capacity as lega pontifical. It failed in its forwardings against Cáceres (1217) and Requena (1218).

In 1231, under Ferdinand III of Castille, it conquered with its troops towns of Quesada and Cazorla (in the current province of Jaén).

After the conquest of Valence in 1238 by Jaime Ier d' Aragon, he claimed the jurisdiction of Tolède on this city.

In addition to ecclesiastic and man-at-arms, he was a chronicler of his time. Its most known work is Historia gothica, known like the “Of rebus of Hispaniae”, el Cronicón of mow cosas sucedidas in España (the chronicle of the things arrived to Spain), and the Crónica LED toledano (the chronicle of Tolède), in which it describes the history of the Iberian peninsula until in 1243.

It is deceased in Lyon, of return of a voyage which it had made in Rome to meet the pope Innocent IV (1243-1254)

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