Calle del Cristo de la Calavera en Toledo
In a typical Toledo alley, close to Alcázar Castle, we find the plot of one of the most famous legends of Toledo, written by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquera: Cristo de la Calavera Street (Christ from the Skull). In the middle of this street there is a ceramic tile hanging on the wall of the building, which refers to an interesting legend.
It concerns the love of two lords: Don Lope and Don Alonso for the Queen’s lady of the court, Eleonora Anglo, Dona Ines de Tordesillas. King Alfonso VIII the Noble King prepared the expedition against the Muslims and organized a party in front of her in the Alcázar castle. He invited both soldiers and maids of the queen’s court. During the ceremony Don Inés threw one of her gloves at two admirers.
Both men threw themselves quickly to pick her up and give her back to the beautiful Inés. Unfortunately, they caught her at the same time and none of them wanted to slow down the hug.
Everyone was looking at this scene paralyzed. Both graduates declared their love for the same woman. Finally, the king intervened in the dispute, taking the glove from their hands and returning to Dona Ines to claim what might have happened in the future: “Take this glove and keep it well, or they will return it one day with stained blood. The king foretold.
Both friends, Don Lope and Don Alonso, realized that there is only one way to find a winner to stay with Don Inés: a duel. At the end of the ceremony, the heroes looked for an isolated place where they could fight, which had to meet two conditions: this place had to be wide enough to be able to fight, and it had to have good light.
They found a street with a small extension, very close to Zocodover Square, as well as with a figure of Christ illuminated kerosene lamp and a skull. Without a word they started to fight a duel.
A mystery unknown to them was that when the swords hit the light of the lamp, it would go out and after a while it would turn on again. But the third time they hit themselves with swords, the light suddenly went out and didn’t turn on, and a strong wind knocked them to the ground.
The gentlemen realized that perhaps it was a divine sign that made them do things differently. That’s why they decided to go to Dona Inés’ house so that she could decide which one of them she wanted to associate with.
Seguro que también te interes interessa: La firma o grafito de Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer en la portada del convento de San Clemente en Toledo
It was approaching dawn when they reached Dona Inés’ house and suddenly saw on her balcony how she said goodbye tenderly to a man equipped with her. The two men burst into loud laughter, realizing that she hadn’t done anything to herself out of their love. The young woman heard the laughter and quickly went to her room, closing the balcony.
