One of the most influential personalities in history in the cultural development of Spain was Alfonso X of Castilla, a monarch who received the nickname 'El Sabio' for his extensive knowledge in different cultural and artistic fields. The real name of this monarch was Alfonso X of Castile (1252 – 1284). He was born in Toledo on November 23, 1221, the son of Fernando III el Santo and Beatriz de Suabia. He failed in the fight for the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, to which he dedicated a lot of effort and money. He was the promoter of the Reconquest and expanded the Castilian territories with the seizure from the Muslims of several places such as Murcia, Alicante, Seville and Cádiz and consolidated the Andalusian territory that always interested the crown of Castile. He died in Seville in 1284
He carried out an active economic policy, reformed the currency and the treasury, and recognized the Honest Council of the Mesta. He stood out for the literary, scientific, historical and legal work carried out by his royal desk.
His legislative work was important, inextricably linked to the introduction in Castilla y León of Roman Law, linking East and West, and developing in the Crown of Castilla a culture of Christian, Muslim and Jewish synthesis. The fertility of the collaboration between intellectuals of the three cultures has its maximum expression in the School of Translators of Toledo. He had great knowledge of astronomy, legal sciences, and history, and he built three large cultural centers around Toledo, Seville, and Murcia.
Alfonso X sponsored, supervised and participated with his own writing in the composition of a huge literary production that began with prose in Spanish. During his reign, Castilian Spanish was adopted as the official language, managing to oust the use of Latin and making the Romance language the official language of the Kingdom of Castile.
His "Cantigas de Santa María" stand out, lyrical songs in Galician-Portuguese, accompanied by musical notation; the compilation of exemplary stories “Calila et Dimna”, in Spanish, and the legal work “Siete partidas” among others.