Kings of the Grail: Discovering the True Location of the Cup of Christ in Modern-Day Spain

by Margarita Torres Sevilla, JoséMiguel Ortega del Rio

Recently discovered parchments in the Egyptian University of Al-Azhar have finally made it possible to identify the location where the Holy Grail has been kept for the last 1,000 years. Their discovery led Margarita Torres Sevilla and José Miguel Ortega del Río on a three-year investigation as they traced the Grail’s journey across the globe and discovered its final resting place in the Basilica of San Isidoro in León, Spain.  Translated by Rosie Marteau, this is the definitive guide to one of history’s most sought-after treasures, the origin and object of both Arthurian myth and Christian legend, offering meticulously researched information to support an extraordinary discovery. Kings of the Grail presents the new, definitive historical and scientific facts that have come to light, unravelling the mystery that has surrounded the Holy Grail and taking the reader on a compelling and thought-provoking journey back through time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2015

Reviews

[Pedro Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ya había conocido la noticia: todo apuntaba a que el cáliz de Cristo, el Santo Grial, el verdadero, estaba custodiado en León. Conocía los argumentos para tal atribución y resultaban sin duda más que convincentes. Programé una visita a León en mis vacaciones para ver el prodigio con mis propios ojos. Cuando lo vi, en penumbra, en una sala dedicada sólo a él, en el tesoro de San Isidoro de León me quedé impresionado. Quise abstraerme de los dorados y enjoyados que lo recubrían y hacerme a la idea como esas dos piezas de ónice pudieron presidir la última cena. Fue algo emocionante.

El itinerario a León pasaba por dos visitas previas al noroeste peninsular durante las cuales pude devorar con avidez este libro. Quería llegar a León y disfrutar del hallazgo con todos los datos posibles, con la narración de su origen, de su historia y, sobre todo de las fuentes, las cuales constituían la prueba capital de que el de León era el cáliz verdadero.

El libro se halla dividido en dos partes. La primera está dedicada al periplo trazado por el cáliz de Cristo tal y como lo narran las diferentes crónicas, como son los Evangelios, o como pudo ocupar un lugar preponderante en la comunidad cristiana de Jerusalén. Es muy prolija la narración de todos los conflictos que se suceden en la Ciudad Santa después de la muerte de Cristo hasta la llegada del dominio islámico en el siglo XI. Este es el punto clave de la historia: la posesión del cáliz en manos musulmanas que va a servir de intercambio de favores en la Península Ibérica. 

Una penosa cosecha en la región de la Jerusalén musulmana llevan a pedir ayuda y alimento a la Taifa de Denia. Como recompensa por su valiosa ayuda la taifa pide el Grial custodiado en Jerusalén y que le va a servir para negociar con el Reino de León un pacto de no agresión. Las fuentes encontradas nos llevan a conocer cómo Fernando I de León recibe el Cáliz de Cristo.

Otra prueba todavía más contundente permite corroborar que el cáliz de San Isidoro es el Santo Grial. Existe una carta de Saladino, siglos después de la entrega de la copa, en el que éste pide a Jerusalén una esquirla del Grial para sanar a su hija. Esta esquirla que le falta al cáliz al que alude Saladino le falta también a la del tesoro de León. Dos pruebas por dos caminos distintos identifican la copa de León con el Santo Grial. 

La segunda parte del libro nos sitúa ya en la península, en el Reino de León, y contextualiza el entramado dinástico y las pugnas por el poder, además de señalar a Doña Urraca como poseedora última del santo cáliz, quien lo donará al tesoro de San Isidoro. No menos espectacular es cómo el Grial aparece representado, a la vista de todos durante siglos, en las manos del escanciador en el fresco de la Última Cena de San Isidoro de León. 

Por último, el libro hace un repaso por los cálices que se han tenido por el Santo Grial hasta la fecha, como el cáliz de Valencia, los cálices británicos, italianos o el Cáliz de Antioquía. En este análisis refutan las posibles pruebas que servían para designarlos como auténticos griales. 

Todo parece casar, todo parece cuadrar, como así lo demuestra el entusiasmo de Margarita Torres Sevilla y José Miguel Ortega del Río en la escritura de este libro, pero creo que adolecen de una cierta cautela. Cierto es que el cáliz de León se posiciona como el más verosímil de los pretendidos griales, pero bien es verdad que hay un periodo de neblina en el que se pierde la pista del Grial y es el tiempo más antiguo, desde el establecimiento de las primeras comunidades cristianas en Jerusalén hasta su toma por los musulmanes. ¿Cómo sabemos que el cáliz que llega a manos islámicas es el Santo Grial? Los argumentos presentados en el libro son plausibles pero no irrefutables. Queda por tanto una sombra que no nos deja asegurar qué el cáliz de León sea el Grial al ciento por ciento. 

Quiero felicitar a los investigadores por tan valioso hallazgo y por su plasmación en tan magnífico libro como es este, pero creo que falta cierta cautela a la hora de asegurar taxativamente que estamos ante el hallazgo definitivo del Grial. En cualquier caso recomiendo la lectura de Los Reyes del Grial así como la peregrinación a León para la contemplación de este tesoro, casi con seguridad el cáliz de la Última Cena.

Esta reseña fue publicada en la revista Mistérica Ars Secreta Nº1 http://www.misterica.net

[Elizabeth Judd Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not one of the many New Age or Alternative History books about the Holy Grail, but a factual account of one of the contenders for the Holy Grail, located in Spain. Using historical documents, art history, and literary history, the authors make an excellent case for this chalice being the Grail. This is a short but excellent book, and will appeal to those interested in the Holy Grail as well as those who enjoy religious history, Spain in the Middle Ages, Moorish Spain, art history, Arthurian literature, and women's history (there is a very interesting section about female power in Spain in the early Middle Ages). The book is well illustrated with color plates, and has a good Appendices section and Notes. My only real quibble is that one of the color plates is misidentified, and since it is also the cover design (and correctly identified on the jacket) this seems a little sloppy. Still, as I said, that's a minor issue (and an editing one at that).

Btw, I read a hardcover edition, not a Kindle one, but this is the cover design that matches my book.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5. Lot of conjecture and assumption, it does make sense in some ways and was and interesting read that allows me to reflect and think on that subject which I find fascinating. Unfortunately the book does spend too much time on historical matters relatively to the matters of the Grail, I understand and agree that historical facts and events where necessary to build a believable and trust worthy reads, but the balance is just not there so we kind of get the impression of reading a book on another subject for a part of it. I'm glad I've read it, but I can't say I would recommend it...

[Trey S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was certainly interesting and covered a good deal of information and theories that I had never previously heard of. The argument is certainly more convincing than a lot of others and the arguments presented seem to stand up pretty strongly, though I am unsure to how much scrutiny they would hold up to.

I think the history was presented really well, it tracked the holy grail through documents and art, through letters and records, etc. the tracking of the grail and the theories with where it went were really cool. The background history of things is where the book kind of lost me, it seemed to perhaps over explain a lot of history that didn’t need to be expanded as much upon. Things like the Spanish lines of succession and more, while it was important to know the backdrop of the grail and its story and how historical developments impacted it, those parts lost me a bit. Also it did use BCE and CE too, which I don’t care for. Overall though, the book is shorter and quick to read, it’s largely enjoyable and it tackles the theory and idea with a lot of merit. It seems to be something at least worth considering.

I’m not too sure if I believe the grail to reside in Spain, but it is more compelling than a lot of other stories. It’s for sure a real object, early Christians can attest to it and I believe that, I just don’t know how much I truly believe it ended up in Spain. Awesome theory and idea nonetheless and I take the Spain idea to be more true than most others!

3.5/5

[Garrett Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a scholarly argument spurred on by a recent discovery: unearthed documents about Muslims transporting a grail to Moorish Spain. A reader should be aware. They have a bias, they want the glory of the grail, but their assessments seem fair. For those interested in Arthurian legend, these people have one side of explanation (another is in "Secret History of the World", and maybe Follansbee's "The Story of the Flood in the Light of Comparative Semitic Mythology"). This book also contains a nice reference for various European grails and their brief history. Great for any relic-hunter!

[Catface · Rating 2 out of 5]

The initial research about the very earliest history of Xianity was very interesting, including details like Jewish dietary laws mandating what the actual cup would have been made of. However, I have to admit the book lost me rather as it went into more details about the movement around the world. Also, full disclosure, it got caught in the rain and ruined........clearly a sign from the heavens ;-) One for the true believers only!

[PJ Ebbrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goes through the standard legends, but then the shift to Spain. I learnt more about 10th/11th Century Spain but with a healthy dose of skepticism.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping read of a theory about the location of the cup of Christ.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is very strong in terms of its history of the early years of Jerusalem as a site of pilgrimage, with the Holy Chalice being viewable at the first Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There is then some detective work which makes a (decent enough) case that the Chalice is now in the Basilica of San Isidoro in the northern Spanish city of León. There are some leaps of interpretation alongside some extraordinary unearthing of early writings. It feels a slight book in terms of its literary value, and the authors are no stylists.

[Karen Mcgrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun! The Grail! In Spain!!! Who wants to join me in a road trip?

[Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned some things. Interesting theory on the travel and location of the Grail...

[Aurelio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Curioso aunque a veces se pierda y sea un poco farragoso, perdiendo la linea del tema

[PJ Ebbrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew very little about the early Christian Kingdoms of Iberia. This side of the story fascinated more than is it this the real cup of the last supper. A quick and easy read.