Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo
Encyclopedia
The Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes (English: Monastery of Saint John of the Kings) is a historic monastery
in Toledo, Spain
, built by the Catholic Monarchs (1477-1504).
and Queen Isabella I of Castile
to commemorate both the birth of their son, Prince John, as their victory at the Battle of Toro
(1476) over the army of Afonso V of Portugal
.
A battle where Prince John of Portugal
also celebrated his victory over the Castilian army of the Catholic monarchs with a solemn procession on each anniversary of the battle. This apparent contradiction was a consequence of the indecisive military outcome of the battle: the troops under Afonso V broke while the forces led by Prince John of Portugal
defeated the Castilian right wing and remained in possession of the battlefield.
Undoubtedly, the battle represented a decisive political victory for the Catholic Monarchs, assuring them the throne and probably paving the way for future Spain. As summarized by Spanish Academic Rafael Casas:
“...San Juan de los Reyes resulted from the royal will to build a monastery to commemorate the victory in a battle with an uncertain outcome but decisive, the one fought in Toro in 1476, which consolidated the union of the two most important Peninsular Kingdoms.”
Toledo was chosen to be the construction place due to its central geographic localization and because it had been the capital of the ancient Visigoth kingdom, symbolically reconstituted by Isabella and Ferdinand with the restoration of the lost unity of Spain (trough the union of Castile with Aragon).
The monastery's construction began in 1477 to plans of architect Juan Guas
, and was completed in 1504. It was dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist for use by Franciscan
friars. In 1809 the monastery was badly damaged by Napoleon's troops during their occupation of Toledo, and abandoned in 1835. Restoration began in 1883 but was not completed until 1967. The monastery was restored to the Franciscan order in 1954.
held by eagles. Its chancel is decorated with an altar (mid 16th century) from the former Santa Cruz Hospital by sculptor Felipe Bigarny and painter Francisco de Comontes
, depicting scenes from the Passion and the Resurrection, as well as two scenes of the Santa Cruz legend.
Its cloister has a small garden. The ground floor's ceiling are formed of German cross vaults set with figures of saints interspersed with animal and plant motifs, all created by Toledo sculptor Cecilio Béjar in the 20th century. Its upper cloisters, first completed in 1526 and restored in the 19th century, contain Mudéjar
ornamentation, including a ceiling of larch
wood, painted with the motifs and coats of arms of the Catholic Monarchs
, and the motto Tanto monta, monta tanto
. Chains of freed Christian prisoners ornament the monastery's granite
exterior facade, as per the Queen's order of 1494.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Toledo, Spain
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, built by the Catholic Monarchs (1477-1504).
A monument to celebrate
This monastery was founded by King Ferdinand II of AragonFerdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
and Queen Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
to commemorate both the birth of their son, Prince John, as their victory at the Battle of Toro
Battle of Toro
The Battle of Toro was a Royal battle from the War of the Castilian Succession, fought on 1 March 1476, near the city of Toro, between the Castilian troops of the Catholic Monarchs and the Portuguese-Castilian forces of Afonso V and Prince John....
(1476) over the army of Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V of Portugal
Afonso V KG , called the African , was the twelfth King of Portugal and the Algarves. His sobriquet refers to his conquests in Northern Africa.-Early life:...
.
A battle where Prince John of Portugal
John II of Portugal
John II , the Perfect Prince , was the thirteenth king of Portugal and the Algarves...
also celebrated his victory over the Castilian army of the Catholic monarchs with a solemn procession on each anniversary of the battle. This apparent contradiction was a consequence of the indecisive military outcome of the battle: the troops under Afonso V broke while the forces led by Prince John of Portugal
John II of Portugal
John II , the Perfect Prince , was the thirteenth king of Portugal and the Algarves...
defeated the Castilian right wing and remained in possession of the battlefield.
Undoubtedly, the battle represented a decisive political victory for the Catholic Monarchs, assuring them the throne and probably paving the way for future Spain. As summarized by Spanish Academic Rafael Casas:
“...San Juan de los Reyes resulted from the royal will to build a monastery to commemorate the victory in a battle with an uncertain outcome but decisive, the one fought in Toro in 1476, which consolidated the union of the two most important Peninsular Kingdoms.”
Toledo was chosen to be the construction place due to its central geographic localization and because it had been the capital of the ancient Visigoth kingdom, symbolically reconstituted by Isabella and Ferdinand with the restoration of the lost unity of Spain (trough the union of Castile with Aragon).
History
This monastery was initially named "San Juan de la Reyna" and was conceived to be the mausoleum of the Catholic Monarchs. They would change their plans choosing Granada as their place of eternal rest, after its conquest in 1492.The monastery's construction began in 1477 to plans of architect Juan Guas
Juan Guas
Juan Guas was a French artist and architect. He worked in a group of architects to create the Isabelline Gothic style. Born in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, he moved to Spain when he was young, and is often thought to have been Spanish...
, and was completed in 1504. It was dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist for use by Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friars. In 1809 the monastery was badly damaged by Napoleon's troops during their occupation of Toledo, and abandoned in 1835. Restoration began in 1883 but was not completed until 1967. The monastery was restored to the Franciscan order in 1954.
Description
The monastery is an example of Gothic-Spanish-Flemish style. Its church is in the form of a Latin cross, with short arms, an elongated nave (approximately 50 meters in length, and 30 meters high), and side chapels situated between the domed arches - three chapels on either side of the nave, and two more under the choir. The church is notable for its decoration of coats of arms of the Catholic MonarchsCatholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
held by eagles. Its chancel is decorated with an altar (mid 16th century) from the former Santa Cruz Hospital by sculptor Felipe Bigarny and painter Francisco de Comontes
Francisco de Comontes
Francisco de Comontes, a son of Iñigo de Comontes, executed in 1533 the principal retablo of the chapel of Los Reyes Nuevos in Toledo cathedral, from the design of Felipe de Vigarny...
, depicting scenes from the Passion and the Resurrection, as well as two scenes of the Santa Cruz legend.
Its cloister has a small garden. The ground floor's ceiling are formed of German cross vaults set with figures of saints interspersed with animal and plant motifs, all created by Toledo sculptor Cecilio Béjar in the 20th century. Its upper cloisters, first completed in 1526 and restored in the 19th century, contain Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
ornamentation, including a ceiling of larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
wood, painted with the motifs and coats of arms of the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
, and the motto Tanto monta, monta tanto
Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando
Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando, , or "equal opposites in balance" was the motto of a prenuptial agreement made by the Spanish Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon...
. Chains of freed Christian prisoners ornament the monastery's granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
exterior facade, as per the Queen's order of 1494.