Charters as Autobiographies? The Historical Narrationes of Alfonso VI of León-Castile’s Diplomatic Collection
Charters as Autobiographies? The Historical Narrationes of Alfonso VI of León-Castile’s Diplomatic Collection

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the charters of Alfonso VI, king of León and Castile (1072–1109), through the lens of literary studies, focusing on a specific diplomatic element: the narrationes. Traditionally used to contextualize and justify juridical acts, these narrationes can also be viewed as micro-narratives or micro-chronicles. I explore the possibility of interpreting them as a form of „autobiography“, presenting supporting arguments while also addressing the limitations of this approach. A heuristic appreciation is made between original and copy, followed by an assessment of the historical narrationes in Alfonso’s original charters. Ultimately, the article argues that these narrationes construct a complex, three-layered image of Alfonso, concluding that they can be considered as his imperfect autobiography.

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