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Full Pages from the Cantigas de Santa Maria
List of Cantigas de Santa Maria
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In Toledo, in the palace chapel, there was an image of the Virgin that the Emperor of Spain had had painted and King don Fernando had had repainted. It showed the Virgin lying down after Jesus’ birth.
A daughter was born to King don Fernando whom he vowed to the Virgin, promising that she would join the Cistercian order and enter the convent of Las Huelgas.
The Queen also wanted her to enter the convent, but the child became ill and died.
The Queen took the dead child and placed her at the feet of the image of the Virgin. She ordered everyone to leave the chapel, had the door fastened, and kept vigil outside. She maintained that the Virgin would restore her child to life, but vowed to wear mourning clothes if this was not to be. As soon as she had said these things, she heard her child cry.
The queen entered the chapel, embraced the child, and vowed to give gifts to every church dedicated to the Virgin “as far as Arras.”
Straightaway she took the child to Las Huelgas and gave her to the nuns.
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