Saint Fernando III

by James Fitzhenry

The greatest Spanish monarch, King of Castile and Leon, St. Fernando III was born in the year 1199 - exactly 100 years after the death of his illustrious ancestor, El Cid. In him would be combined the soul of a knight dedicated entirely to God, the irresistible power of the Cid, and due to his royal heritage, the authority to marshal the might of an entire kingdom against the enemies of Christ. Personally leading his armies into battle, he took back more territory from Islam than any other king in history. First cousin of St. Louis IX of France, he died a saintly death in the year 1252. His incorrupt body can still be seen in the Cathedral of Seville, and his feastday, May 30th, is a holy day of obligation in Spain.

Genres: History, Catholic

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is probably the best thing I have read in years. I don't know when I have ever enjoyed anything so much! The exemplary life of Saint Fernando is almost as astounding as his military exploits, which are little short of miraculous.
King Fernando managed to drive the Moors out of Spain as well as rule his own two kingdoms, fight off Christian Kings who wished to take his throne, be a loving and attentive husband and father and become a saint during his relatively short lifetime.
This is the book of the year, in my opinion, and definitely the one I most recommend. For such a well researched and all encompassing work, it reads almost like fiction and will have you turning the pages, anxious to see what happens next.
Don't miss this one!

[Christopher Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! An absolutely fascinating story of an awesome saint, knight, and king.

[ShepherdsDelight · Rating 5 out of 5]

85/100 (= 5.0/6) ≈ 5 Stars

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The last of the trilogy. Wow! Fascinating and inspiring reading. Though, I must say, I most enjoyed the direct passages quoted from Castro, "The Life of ... Saint Ferdinand III" (Sister Maria Del Carmen Fernández de Castro Cabeza's "The Life of the Very Noble King of Castile and Leon, St Ferdinand III"). So I'll definitely be on the lookout for that book!!! I think William Thomas Walsh's Spanish works will also be good follow-ups (Isabella, Phillip II, St. Teresa). Contemporary Spain is heartbreaking to see when one is fire and flame with stories from the Reconquista!

[Ron Ovits · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being keenly interested in Catholic and Church history, as well as myself being an avid reader, I purchased this book with the author's others, El Cid and The Defenders of Christendom, with the highest expectations. I am regretful I did. All three could be marketed in liquid form as a cure for insomnia. I could not finish any of them, even after several serious attempts. It is not due to poor research, as it seems from what I read that the author did his homework well. Notwithstanding, Fitzharold's prose is incredibly longwinded, his few attempts at dialog painfully puerile, and his passages of description so lengthy that every page invariably produced a yawn. All this combined makes for an incredibly . . . boring read.
This is most regretable, as Saint Ferdinand the Third of Spain is certainly a figure deserving of a biography. It is for this reason I award it two stars instead of the one I believe it deserves, on a purely literary basis. If you wish to read it only for research purposes, then perhaps you will be pleased with the book. For enjoyment, however, it provides very little, at least for me. And I can read nearly anything.
I can only hope a writer of greater talent is someday inspired to attempt a biography of this great king and saint. Fitzharold was simply not up to the task. I would not recommend any of his books. They are all a sorry waste of money.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fantastic!