Thirteenth-century King Alfonso X of Spain was one of history's wisest rulers. In more than 400 songs in his greatest work, the Cantigas de Santa Maria , he constructed an ideal kingdom full of learned, talented, and prosperous subjects. Our Lady's Troubadour adapts ten of the best of these miracle tales to share the joys and sorrows of medieval Spain with modern readers... An innocent musician sings his wonderful songs for the wrong people. Will he pay for his error with his life? A brave knight rides hard through a narrow mountain pass, his enemies in hot pursuit, intent on ending his life. Can he find salvation at the hermitage on the hill? A lord abandons his castle on the border only to be kidnapped by invading enemy soldiers. Can his wife protect the castle and everyone in it? In this collection, the critically acclaimed author of Seven Noble Knights offers historical fiction lovers imaginative retellings of these and other extraordinary tales to paint a vivid picture of life in the Middle Ages. In this tribute to Alfonso X, el Sabio-on the occasion of his 800th birthday-a new audience will discover the delights of a beloved artifact of a golden age ruled over by a legendary king and scholar.