Warrior saints allied with Alfonso the Magnanimous: «Els benaventurats Sant Miquel e Sant Jordi, protectors nostres»

Abstract

Alfonso the Magnanimous’s devotion to Saints Michael and George is attested by numerous documentary sources and some figurative evidence. Flags, banners, pennants, paintings, and other items bore the image of the saints (or their emblems, such as St George’s red cross); their continuous presence and visibility were ensured by placing monumental sculptures atop the arch of Castel Nuovo. Both saints were honoured with dedicated chapels founded in their name, and St George was further venerated by various brotherhoods and chivalric societies. Continuing a monarchical cult that had taken root through the saints’ effective intervention in military affairs, Alfonso, like his ancestors, invoked the protection and assistance of these valiant and daring warriors to secure his victories, as demonstrated by the documentary and visual testimonies examined in this study.