Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: King David

The town of Toro lies on a plateau above the Duero River about 40 km east of Zamora. In medieval times Toro had some importance. Ferdinand III of Castile was crowned king in Toro in 1230, his wife Elisabeth of Swabia died here five years later. The large collegiate church Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, whose construction began in 1160 under Alfonso VII, but lasted possibly even until the end of the 13th century. During the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, it was elevated to a collegiate church. The architectural highlight of the church building is the two-story crossing tower (“cimborrio”) with its sixteen-sided floor plan, with four sides being particularly highlighted by round corner towers, which serve both for architectural decoration and for static stabilization. While the corner towers in the lower part hardly have any architectural decoration, the two levels of the central tower with their windows - accompanied by small columns and ending in oriental-looking multi-aisle arches - are designed in exactly the same way. The west portal ("Portada de la Majestad") is an important achievement of Spanish Gothic architecture. The portal itself is dated to the time of Sancho IV (1258-1295), the colored version comes from the 18th century. In the stone lintel there is a depiction of the death and ascension of Mary. The tympanum shows the scene of her sitting at God's right hand and being crowned. In the six archivolts above are a total of 78 individual figures. King David entertains the prophets with his harp

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The Basílica de San Isidoro de León is located on the site of an ancient temple to the Roman god Mercury. In the 10th century, the kings of León established a community of Benedictine sisters on the site. Following the conquest of the area by Al-Mansur (938–1002), the church was destroyed and the area devastated. León was repopulated and a new church and monastery established in the 11th century by Alfonso V of León. In 1063 the basilica was dedicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was the archbishop of Seville and the most celebrated academic of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The church benefited from its position on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. Sculptors, stonemasons, and artists from across Europe gathered to work on the monastery. Puerta del Cordero - The center of the tympanum depicts the sacrifice of Abraham. - To the left is the statue of San Isidoro, next to him is a small executioner with a knife. - Above is King David with musicians holding vielles. - On Top is a frieze with the symbols of the zodiac. - To the right under the symbols of the zodiac are two musicians - further right is the statue of the martyr Pelayo (aka "Pelagius of Asturias"), who was a Visigoth nobleman, and founder of the Kingdom of Asturias (718). He is credited with initiating the Reconquista,

Freiberg came into being around 1162/1170. Between 1156 and 1162, Margrave Otto von Meissen had the forest cleared and several villages laid out, including Christiansdorf. In 1168 silver ore was discovered near Christiansdorf. The promise of special freedoms for the miners attracted numerous miners, traders and craftsmen, along with their families, to the Ore Mountains. Due to the wave of immigration, the city of Freiberg developed within two decades. This name is derived from the important feature, the freedom of mining introduced by Margrave Otto, i.e. the mining rights of every immigrant. Anyone could dig for the silver ore for a fee. The silver could only be sold to the margravial mint. The wealth of silver and the mint made the Electorate of Saxony a prosperous state. Further development in the 13th century is characterized by constant growth after the municipality was almost completely destroyed by a city fire around 1225. A town school was established in 1260, which had been converted into a Latin school in 1515. In the 14th century, crises gradually emerged, which were mainly caused by the decline in silver production from the middle of the 14th century and by large-scale city fires. In the 15th century, Freiberg lost its leading economic position within Saxony to Leipzig due to the exodus of capital. The Bergakademie was founded in 1765, one of the world's oldest mining engineering universities. - Around 1180, the Romanesque basilica "Unserer Lieben Frauen" was built in Freiberg, which was developing rapidly due to the silver that had been found. In 1480, the church was turned into a Collegiate church. However, the college was dissolved after only 57 years due to the reformation of the Electorate of Saxony. In the great fire of 1484, the church was almost completely destroyed. The "Cathedral of St. Mary" was built at the same location as a triple-naved Gothic hall church. The cathedral was reconsecrated in 1512. The "Goldene Pforte" (Golden Gate) is a late Romanesque portal created in 1225 on the south side of the cathedral. The portal probably formed the western entrance of the Romanesque church, which was destroyed in the fire of 1484. In the new building that followed, the architecture and architectural sculpture of the portal were carefully dismantled and added to the new building in late Gothic forms as the new south entrance. King David

Merseburg was first mentioned in 850. King König Heinrich I. (Henry the Fowler) built a royal palace at Merseburg after having married the daughter of Count Erwin of Merseburg, so that the place came under the rule of the Saxon dynasty. In 955, after finally defeating the Hungarians at the Battle of Lechfeld, King Otto I vowed to found a diocese. Otto I founded the archbishopric of Magdeburg in 968 with the suffragan bishopric Merseburg, but the diocese was dissolved in 981 and only re-established in 1004 by King Heinrich II. Until the Protestant Reformation, Merseburg was the seat of the Bishop of Merseburg, in addition to being for a time the residence of the margraves of Meissen. It was a favorite residence of the German kings during the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. Fifteen diets were held here during the Middle Ages, during which time its fairs enjoyed the importance which was afterward transferred to those of Leipzig. In the years 1218/19, the area on the left bank of the Saale was protected by a city wall that adjoined the already fortified "Domfreiheit". Civil self-government of the city was first mentioned in 1289. In 1428, Merseburg, together with other towns and against the resistance of the bishops, joined the Hanseatic League, to which it was to belong until at least 1604. The town suffered severely during the German Peasants' War and also during the Thirty Years' War. Construction of the early Romanesque cathedral was begun by Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg in 1015. It was consecrated on 1 October 1021 in the presence of Emperor Heinrich II and his wife, Kunigunde. However, the eastern part of the building collapsed twice within a few years and had to be rebuilt. It was only in 1042 that the cathedral was formally opened. The early Romanesque structure still influences the appearance of today's cathedral. The lower parts of the choir, transept and western towers remain Romanesque as do the eastern towers. Only the crypt still maintains the original spatial impression, however. The shape of the windows was later changed to Gothic style, probably in the second quarter of the 13th century when a new narthex was added to the church. In the first half of the 13th century the western façade, the western towers were mostly reconstructed. It is also likely that the nave was changed substantially and largely attained its final form. Finally, the eastern towers were raised around the middle of the 13th century. One of them retains a Gothic roof, the other is topped by a Baroque roof. Under Bishop Thilo von Trotha (1466-1514) the nave was rebuilt, due to the building of the adjacent Schloss/palace. The old nave was demolished in 1510 and the new nave built between 1510 and 1514 . These panels, a kind of "biblia pauperum", were carved by the monk Caspar Schockholcz in 1446. They are part of the choir stalls. God talking to Moses, Last Supper, Jonah and The Whale, Elijah on his way to Heaven, King David

Louis the Pious founded the bishopric of Hildesheim in 815. The settlement developed into a town and was granted market rights by King Otto III in 983. Craftsmen and merchants were attracted and the city developed into an important community. By 1167, Hildesheim was an almost completely walled market settlement. At the beginning of the 13th century, Hildesheim had about 5,000 inhabitants, and when Hildesheim received its city charter in 1249, it was one of the largest cities in northern Germany. The clergy ruled Hildesheim for four centuries before a town hall was built and the citizens gained influence and independence. In 1367, Hildesheim became a member of the Hanseatic League. But what is now called Hildesheim was various small "suburbs". After centuries of (sometimes armed) disputes, it was not until the end of the 16th century that a union was created and subsequently at least the inner wall was taken down Old and New Town. During the Thirty Years' War, Hildesheim was besieged and occupied several times. In 1813, after the Napoleonic Wars, the town became part of the Kingdom of Hanover, which was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia as a province after the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. The air raids on Hildesheim in 1944/45 destroyed large parts of the city. Of the 1500 half-timbered houses, only 200 remained. 90 percent of the historic old town was destroyed in the firestorm. - St. Michaeliskirche is an Ottonian, early Romanesque church. It was the abbey church of the Benedictine abbey until the Reformation. Today it is a shared church, the main church being Lutheran and the crypt being Roman Catholic. Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim (996–1022) founded the monastery just a half kilometer north of the city walls. He set the first stone for the new church in 1010. Construction continued under Bishop Godehard, who completed the work in 1031 and reconsecrated the church. The church has double choirs east and west and six towers, two large ones over the crossings east and west, and four other tall and narrow ones attached to the small sides of the two transepts. When the people of Hildesheim became Protestant in 1542, St. Michael's became Lutheran, but the Benedictine monastery operated here until it was secularized in 1803. Monks continued to use the church, especially its western choir and crypt, down to that moment. St. Michael's Church was heavily damaged in an air raid during World War II on 22 March 1945, but reconstruction was begun in 1950 and completed in 1957. In 1985, the church became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, along with the Cathedral of Hildesheim. The painted wooden ceiling measures 27.6 × 8.7 meters and consists of 1300 oak boards. The theme of the painting is the root of Jesse. This genealogical tree of Jesus appears divided into eight main panels. The ceiling was removed in 1943 and stored in different places. Thus, the original boards used survived the Second World War. Before it was reattached in 1960, all parts of the painting were cleaned and restored. A dendrochronological examination in 1999 proved a felling date of the oaks used for the ceiling between 1190 and 1220. Thus, the painting was created only around 1230. King David

Parma, part of the Holy Roman Empire since Charlemagne´s times, was locally ruled by its bishops. During the long Investiture Controversy, Parma was (mostly) member of the Imperial party ("Ghibellini"). Two of Parma´s bishops even became antipopes: Càdalo as Honorius II and Guibert as Clement III. An almost independent commune was created around 1140. After the Peace of Constance confirmed the Italian communes' rights of self-governance in 1183, quarrels with the neighbouring communes (eg Piacenza and Cremona) developed over the trading lines along the Po river. When in 1248 Papist families ("Guelphs") gained control over the city, Emperor Frederick II (aka "Stupor Mundi") besieged Parma with no success. This were the circumstances, when in 1196 the City Council of Parma commissioned the building of the Battistero di San Giovanni to Benedetto Antelami. In 1216 the second tier was completed. The work stopped under a temporary roof. It continued in 1249 and the octagon, located next to the cathedral, was finally completed in 1270. The interior of the baptistery contains sixteen arches, forming alcoves each containing a painted scene. All these are 13th and 14th century frescoes. The dome is like an umbrella - sixteen rays come out of the center of the ceiling. Each corresponds to an arch below. Below the large triangular frescoes are tiers with carvings, sculptures and even more frescoes in the semicircular spaces. Seen here is King David, who obviously knew about the importance of music in early childhood.

This museum holds a large collection of the works of art. Here are the originals, many of which are meanwhile replaced with replicas all around he Piazza dei Miracoli, as many of them crumbled and weathered. The museum is well worth a visit, but was closed (for a year?) in autumn 2014. King David, sitting on a very elaborate throne (a small lion on the armrest) plays his harp.

The town was founded by the hermit Domingo de la Calzada (aka "Dominic of the Causeway"), who supported the pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela. Domingo not only built a hospital for the pilgrims, but as well a paved causeway and a bridge. He was such a successful architect, that he is still patron saint of the Spanish civil engineers. The first church, erected by him, got consecrated in 1106. Since 1232 this was the Seat of the Bishops of the Calahorra-La Calzada and Logroño, so the structure got enlarged and modified. The ambulatory, seen here, is Romanesque and may (in parts) date back to the first church, built by Santo Domingo. Most of the elaborate carvings may date from the mid/end of the 12th century. Note that the carvings run high up to the "upper tier". The ambulatory is Romanesque and may (in parts) date back to the first church, built by Santo Domingo. Most of the elaborate carvings may date from the mid/end of the 12th century. King David sits cross legged and seems relaxed. He holds a vielle with five strings.

The chapter house of the former "Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville", founded by a chamberlain of William the Conqueror, and in existence upto the French Revolution. The abbey church serves the parish since then. Most buildings of the abbey got demolished after the Revolution, but the chapter house survived. I had been here about 10 years ago, when this part of the abbey was closed. This time I had more luck - and was surprised by originality and quality of the carvings. Some of the carvings here are copies, as the delicate and already weathered originals are kept in a museum in Rouen. This capital, once part of the cloister, is now exhibited in the chapter-house. It is one of the few Romanesque capitals, where a whole orchestra is depicted (another one is in Jaca). Note the large organistrum / hurdy gurdy.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. After uploading half a dozen of photos taken from the original capital in the museum - this is the copy at the south porch of the cathedral, taken in the afternoon sun. Just to give an impression.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. This is the original, a masterpiece of the Master of Jaca. King David, is accompanied by an orchestra of 11 musicians, playing different instruments. This is a second close up the left side, where 5 of the 11 musicians are gathered. The instrument played by the musician in the center can only be a small, portable pipe organ.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. This is the original, a masterpiece of the Master of Jaca. King David, is accompanied by an orchestra of 11 musicians, playing different instruments. This is a close up the left side, where 5 of the 11 musicians are gathered. On the right is a flautist (pan flute) and a below him is a hornist. The musician to the left holds a string instrument, probably a small lute. The instrument below him will be better seen on the following upload.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. This is the original, a masterpiece of the Master of Jaca. King David, is accompanied by an orchestra of 11 musicians, playing different instruments. This is the left side, where 5 of the 11 musicians are gathered.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. This is the original, a masterpiece of the Master of Jaca. King David is accompanied by an orchestra of 11 musicians, playing different instruments. Again the right side (just like the previous upload) but from a different pov, as now all musicians can be seen. One of them play a tubelike curved object.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. This is the original, a masterpiece of the Master of Jaca. King David, seated on a throne, playing the vielle (seen to the very left), is accompanied by an orchestra of 11 musicians, playing different instruments. Here is the right side of the capital.

The Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest of the Iberian peninsula, dating back to the 1070s. The building, that was altered many times later, was commissioned by King Sancho Ramírez, who established an episcopal seat in Jaca, then the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. The Romanesque cathedral was completed around 1130. In 1395 a blaze destroyed large parts of the cathedral. The ceiling had to be reconstructed in the following decades and got renovated in the 16th century, when the aisles were added and the nave got enlarged. The cloister, adjoining the cathedral hosts the "Museo Diocesano de Jaca". Here is the museum´s website: www.diocesisdejaca.org/index.php/museo-diocesano-de-jaca I had once admired the capital depicting "King David and his musicians" on the southern porch of the cathedral. This porch was added to the structure later, "reusing" capitals that probably had been before part of a Romanesque cloister. I did not know at that time, that I saw a copy. This is the original, a masterpiece of the Master of Jaca. Crowned King David, seated on a throne, plays the vielle. He is accompanied by an orchestra of 11 musicians, playing different instruments.