Among wise men the game goes: Deceneus and Alfonso X of Castile

Abstract

In the thirteenth century, the Castilian-Leonese chronicles of Lucas of Tuy, Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada and Alfonso X the Learned represent –progressively– the Spanish national exaltation against the northern neighbour. If in France it was sought to reaffirm the Trojan origin of the French people, mixed with the Germanic origins, in León and Castile. Tubal, Hercules and especially the Visigoths are chosen as ancient ancestors, in search of affirming a consciousness of their own identity, unity and independence against France and the main European powers, such as the Holy Roman Empire or the Papacy. And with the Goths, the most outstanding characters of the ancient history of the Getae and Dacians, such as the aforementioned Deceneus, Burebista or Zalmoxis, are perfectly integrated into the history of the Spanish people when dealing with the legendary origins of the Visigothic people, always with an exemplary and legitimizing intentionality. In the specific case of Deceneus, we find the clearest model of a reformer and wise man for Alfonso X.