Puts into historical context the more than 400 poems written by the king of Castile-Leon in the language of 13th-century Galicia. He recounts specific events in his life and that of his kingdom, such as activities of his family, his war against the Muslims of Granada and Morocco, the treachery of the nobility, his frequent illnesses, and his fear of hellfire and damnation. O'Callaghan (history, Fordham U.) incorporates much of the poetry into his treatment, translating or paraphrasing, in order to expose English readers not only to the narratives themselves but also to the medieval Galician-Portuguese language. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.