3-097-648 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Alfonso V (c 994-1028), called the Noble, was King of León from 999 to 1028. Like other kings of León, he used the title emperor (Imperator totius Hispaniae) to assert his standing among the Christian rulers of Spain. He succeeded Bermudo II "the Gouty" and preceded Bermudo III. In 1847, José de Madrazo , as director of the Royal Museum, was commissioned by Isabella II to create an iconographic genealogy of all her royal ancestors, known as the Chronological Series of the Kings of Spain. The project had a clear political purpose: to legitimize the Sovereign's rights during a period characterized by a relentless struggle against female power. A considerable number of contemporary artists, both established and emerging, were involved in the commission, but almost all were associated with José de Madrazo's circle of patrons.