Theocracy and Under the Throne of Seville | "Four Kings Carrying the Coffin".

• Seville Cathedral One of the largest Gothic churches in the world, Columbus's coffin is also buried here. Together with the Mausoleum of San Fernando, it constitutes the core of Spain's "Imperial Memory". 😏DeepSeek said seriously: The "Four Kings Carrying the Coffin" (Los Cuatro Reyes que Portan el Sepulcro de San Fernando) in the Seville Cathedral is a classic scene with great symbolic significance in Spanish religious art, showing the combination of royal power and divine power in the Middle Ages. This masterpiece of art is located in the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) of Seville Cathedral and is the centerpiece of the mausoleum of King San Fernando III of Castile (1199-1252). 👑【San Fernando III】 He was the 13th-century king of the United Kingdom of Castile and León, famous for his outstanding achievements in the Reconquista. In 1248, he led his army to capture Seville, ending the Muslim rule there for more than 500 years, and designated the city as the political and cultural center of the Christian kingdom. After his death, he was canonized as a Catholic saint, becoming the only monarch in Spanish history to be officially canonized. ✨【Four Kings Carrying the Coffin】Artistic Expression 1. Sculpture Theme The main body of the mausoleum is the sarcophagus of San Fernando, supported by four statues of kings wearing armor and crowns. These four kings are not real historical figures, but monarchs of the four major Christian kingdoms of Castile, León, Navarre and Aragon, symbolizing the achievement of San Fernando in unifying Spain and the sacredness of the royal power. 2. Artistic Style The sculpture combines late Gothic and early Renaissance styles: Realism: The king’s facial expression is solemn and dignified, and the patterns on his armor and the folds of his clothes are delicately carved. Symbolism: The reliefs on the side of the sarcophagus depict the life story of San Fernando, such as the recapture of Seville and the acceptance of the Moors' surrender. Religious elements: The top of the sarcophagus is engraved with an image of the Virgin Mary and Child, emphasizing the royal power's piety to Catholicism. 3. Political and religious implications Through the design of the "Four Kings Carrying the Coffin", San Fernando's status as the unifier of the Christian kingdom is highlighted, strengthening the sacred legitimacy of the Spanish monarchy. Portraying secular monarchs as "saints" blurred the boundaries between royal power and ecclesiastical power and served the national ideology during the period of the Catholic Twin Monarchs (Ferdinand II and Isabella I). 🤔More people are willing to believe: This sculpture shows four kings carrying Columbus's coffin, symbolizing the recognition and commemoration of Columbus's maritime career by four important kingdoms in Spanish history. The four kingdoms are: 1. Kingdom of Castile 2. Kingdom of Leon 3. Kingdom of Aragon 4. Kingdom of Navarre These four kings represented the four major kingdoms before the unification of Spain, and their union symbolized the unity and strength of Spain. The four kings carrying the coffin show the important position of Columbus in Spanish history. Because Columbus vowed not to set foot on Spanish soil in his lifetime, the hanging coffin form does not violate his promise. In short, "The Four Kings Carrying the Coffin" is not only a work of art, but also a concentrated embodiment of the monarchy, religion and national identity of medieval Spain. If you go to Seville, you may want to stop at the Royal Chapel and feel the echoes of this 800-year-old history. 💕 Editing is not easy. If you like the travel content we share, please use your lucky hands to follow and like it~