Narrating the fall of Henry IV: the oriental element in the deposition of royal figure within Castilian visual and historiographic discourses (S.XV)

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The narrative built around Henry IV’s reign by the chronicle gives us an insight to understand the figure of a good king that expressed the values of the nobility. The rupture of the pact that linked the king with his realm, represented by "Auto de Ávila" in 1465, allows us to see how the concept of royal duty was fictionally built. According to the chroniclers who opposed Henry IV, his relish for the Mudejar was not in line with the ways of the Castilian royalty. A key concept here is architecture which provides a valuable visual element. There was an existing preference for Arabic architecture such as coffered ceilings, domes, tiling, and garden designs where water played a vital role. Many of these designs were built and inhabited by Christian kings before and after Henry’s reign. Why would the chroniclers disapprove of oriental architecture only during Henry’s reign? In this analysis the visual element plays a vital role, as it allows us to appreciate what is missing in the chronicles. It is known that the medieval chronicle served an illustrating purpose, so it’s logical that they focus on the patterns of behavior, actions and elements that were present in the performative act. This is why these can be considered inaccurate. Chroniclers failed to describe what these spaces were like. As a consequence, we will explore how oriental features contrast with the Imago Regis when they alter the corresponding decorum moving from an inaccurate first foreground to the political actions of the realm.