Dom Duarte’s Leal C onselheiro within the context of M edieval Iberian texts of Authority

Abstract

The first half of the 15th century in Portugal saw the publication of Portuguese king Dom Duarte’s sapiential work, Leal Conselheiro in 1438. This work represented yet another Portuguese literary piece that showed the influence of Castilian legislation (Siete Partidas) and other sapiential work since the mid-13th century onward. One Castilian sapiential work that influenced Dom Duarte was the Memoriale Virtutum by the converso Alfonso de Cartagena, who was sent to Portugal on four diplomatic missions from 1421 to 1427. The Portuguese Crown Prince, Dom Duarte, was in close contact with the Castilian envoy. It was purported that upon request from the Crown Prince, the Castilian envoy, Alfonso de Cartagena, published the Memoriale Virtutum. This close contact shows the mutual influence that both kingdoms had on each other in the creation and publication of sapiential work.