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13th century records dealing with the monarchy in Castile recount how King Alfonso VIII fell in love with “a Jewess from Toledo.” The king, who was captivated by the charm of the beautiful Jewess, abandoned his royal duties to be with her. Their passionate affair ended after seven months when members of the king’s court murdered his lover. The records also indicate that even after the king properly resumed his royal tasks, his sin was not forgotten and God punished him by causing his defeat in a battle with the Moors.
This story about the interfaith affair between a Christian king and an anonymous Jewess kindled the imagination of many people and was the inspiration for many novels and plays. Did it really happen or was it merely a legend?
