Segovia - The Alcazar

Alcazar, Segovia, Spain

Fortress, castle, military academy, parts used as a prison, origins of the word "Alcazar" in Arabic, probably from the 11th Century. See http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/spain/segovia/alcazar/alcazar.html .

Segovia is a perfect first stop after arriving in Spain - an easy drive from the airport, a few wrong turns on motorways, but good signs. Inside is a hall of armor, mounted knights, knights in corners, knights around corners, in centers, off to sides. Spears, weapons. Then, in town, a huge aqueduct - Roman.

Andres Segovia, guitar, hush:  Video, Andres Segovia Plays Capricio Arrabe.  He is not from the town, Segovia, however, see http://www.allmusic.com/artist/q5675 

Toledo - Ancient Capital, Inquisition, Grand Inquisitors

Toledo, Spain. Street scene

Toledo, on the hilltop, with river below. It was the ancient capital of Visigothic Spain, preceding the Moorish Empire. The Moors invaded in the 8th Century. It became the capital of an independent Moorish kingdom 1031-1085, see ://www.questia.com/library/encyclopedia/toledo_city_spain.jsp/ and remains the capital of the province of Toledo.

Toledo remained the capital of Spain after the expulsion of the Moors and until 1560. See ://www.red2000.com/spain/toledo/.

At that time, its influence waned when Phillip II moved his capital to Madrid. See ://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Toledo/. Read this old book account, not clear about the Flemish connection yet, at this New York Times archive piece, "Toledo, The Story of the Ancient and Picturesque City of Spain," November 4, 1899, at ://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F00E0DC1530E132A25757C0A9679D94689ED7CF

The Questia site, above, also notes that Toledo was the seat of the Grand Inquisitors.

To learn more about them, read their handbook, the 1486 Malleus Maleficarum, or Hammer of Witches, at ://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/mm/. A good index and summary is at ://www.malleusmaleficarum.org/

Read about the Inquisition, from the perspective that includes its impact on the Jews, at ://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Inquisition.html/ In 1242, the Inquisition condemned the Talmud and bonfired thousands of books. The first killings of Jews, however, took place in France some time later. There, mass burnings at the stake.

The Spanish Inquisition superseded the earlier medieval Inquisition. See that Jewish Virtual Library Site. Do we forget our own history.











The Alcazar, or castle fortress, rebuilt many time, Visigothic days to present. See ://www.virtourist.com/europe/toledo/999.htm; and ://www.travelinginspain.com/toledo_alcazar.htm. Do an Images search to see it at the top of the city, at the top of the cliff.



See map at ://www.world-guides.com/images/spain/spain_map.jpg



You can drive into Toledo, but it is dicey. Find a fast spot to stay, anywhere (the distances are small). is no parking at all allowed on most streets - see the above. the lines are for walkers, deliveries only.