Miniature of Alfonso IX

Image corresponding to a miniature from Tomb A of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in which King Alfonso IX is depicted, and which is currently conserved in the Archive of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

This miniature was modelled on that of Fernando II, although with differences in the treatment of the figures. The lion in the lower part stands out, an animal that belongs to the more generic symbolic repertoire of royalty. Its repetition in the series of monarchs of León undoubtedly reflects a specific heraldic intention.

On the other hand, in this type of miniature, the scarce individualisation of the faces is compensated by a large variety of motifs, such as crowns, chromatic tones, symbols or clothing, which contribute to the correct identification of the character, represented in this case in equestrian pose.

Both the crown and the clothing of the monarch have been related to those worn by the lying statue attributed to Alfonso IX in the Royal Pantheon in Compostela, which Moralejo identifies with his father, Fernando II. The arrangement of the horse´s blue colour and its tones seek the corporeality of the image.