scruffy1
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Holy Year from Pamplona 2010, SJPP 2011, Lisbon 2012, Le Puy 2013, Vezelay (partial watch this space!) 2014; 2015 Toulouse-Puenta la Reina (Arles)
The tomb of Saint James was discovered in the ninth century near the place which became Santiago de Compostela. In medieval legend he would later be known as Santiago Matamoros – Saint James the Moorslayer however three centuries would pass before the discovery of the Saint and any mention of his appearance in battle.
Writing about 1118, the anonymous monk of Silos related that prior to attacking Coimbra, Portugal (1064), Fernando I made a pilgrimage to Santiago to implore "the Apostle to intercede for him with the divine majesty so that his campaign would have a happy and successful outcome". While the king "assaulted Coimbra with the material sword, James, the knight of Christ, did not cease to intercede". During the siege, a Greek pilgrim, hearing the people speak of Santiago as a "good knight", noted that he was not a knight and had never mounted a horse. That night, while the pilgrim was at prayer, the Apostle appeared and rebuked him (James was always known for a short fuse and quick temper!). Indeed there appeared "a most splendid horse of great stature" whose snowy brilliance "illuminated the whole church through the open doors". Mounting the horse, Saint James showed the pilgrim the keys that on the morrow would open Coimbra to the king. In this instance the Apostle did not appear in battle nor did he use any weapon, though he did carry those keys.
Saint James reputedly appeared in the battle of Clavijo (see note below!)in the ninth century. According to a privilege dated to 844, on the eve of the battle he told King Ramiro I of Asturias that "eternal rest is already prepared for many of your people, for they will receive the crown of martyrdom." He also said, "I will come to your aid and on the morrow by the hand of God you will overcome the countless multitude of Saracens…You and the Saracens will see me on a white horse…bearing a great white banner." On the next day after the troops had confessed their sins, heard mass, a nd received communion, the Apostle appeared in their midst. As he commanded, they shouted "May God and Saint James help us". We are told that this was the first recorded usage of this war cry, later shortened to simply "Santiago!". Again, Santiago was not armed nor did he engage in combat, but he did encourage the Christians. The image of the warrior clothed in white and mounted on a white horse is reminiscent of the Apocalyptic horsemen appearing in Revelation.
I am now looking for the origins of the sculptural representations of Santiago Matamoros –sword in hand trampling skulls - as can be seen from quite small examples in niches all along the Camino to the one in Logroño which fills the upper arch of the Iglesia de Santiago Matamoros as you leave town. Watch this space!
Information here was lifted shamelessly from "Reconquest and Crusade in Medeival Spain" written by Joseph F. O'Callaghan
Note: OH DEAR! "to a serious historian, the existence of the Battle of Clavijo is not even a discussion topic".
Translated from entry on Clavijo in the Diccionario de historia de España, ed. Germán Bleiberg, 2nd edition, Madrid, Revista de Occidente, 1968-69.
Writing about 1118, the anonymous monk of Silos related that prior to attacking Coimbra, Portugal (1064), Fernando I made a pilgrimage to Santiago to implore "the Apostle to intercede for him with the divine majesty so that his campaign would have a happy and successful outcome". While the king "assaulted Coimbra with the material sword, James, the knight of Christ, did not cease to intercede". During the siege, a Greek pilgrim, hearing the people speak of Santiago as a "good knight", noted that he was not a knight and had never mounted a horse. That night, while the pilgrim was at prayer, the Apostle appeared and rebuked him (James was always known for a short fuse and quick temper!). Indeed there appeared "a most splendid horse of great stature" whose snowy brilliance "illuminated the whole church through the open doors". Mounting the horse, Saint James showed the pilgrim the keys that on the morrow would open Coimbra to the king. In this instance the Apostle did not appear in battle nor did he use any weapon, though he did carry those keys.
Saint James reputedly appeared in the battle of Clavijo (see note below!)in the ninth century. According to a privilege dated to 844, on the eve of the battle he told King Ramiro I of Asturias that "eternal rest is already prepared for many of your people, for they will receive the crown of martyrdom." He also said, "I will come to your aid and on the morrow by the hand of God you will overcome the countless multitude of Saracens…You and the Saracens will see me on a white horse…bearing a great white banner." On the next day after the troops had confessed their sins, heard mass, a nd received communion, the Apostle appeared in their midst. As he commanded, they shouted "May God and Saint James help us". We are told that this was the first recorded usage of this war cry, later shortened to simply "Santiago!". Again, Santiago was not armed nor did he engage in combat, but he did encourage the Christians. The image of the warrior clothed in white and mounted on a white horse is reminiscent of the Apocalyptic horsemen appearing in Revelation.
I am now looking for the origins of the sculptural representations of Santiago Matamoros –sword in hand trampling skulls - as can be seen from quite small examples in niches all along the Camino to the one in Logroño which fills the upper arch of the Iglesia de Santiago Matamoros as you leave town. Watch this space!
Information here was lifted shamelessly from "Reconquest and Crusade in Medeival Spain" written by Joseph F. O'Callaghan
Note: OH DEAR! "to a serious historian, the existence of the Battle of Clavijo is not even a discussion topic".
Translated from entry on Clavijo in the Diccionario de historia de España, ed. Germán Bleiberg, 2nd edition, Madrid, Revista de Occidente, 1968-69.