In the realm of the Tolkienesque

August 26, 2026

A quick bit of doubling back and off we go to find a foot route to Toledo. We will have to take to the tracks and then walk alongside CM-40 before heading north.

Toledo is one of the many places I have said I said I want to go back to. It is one of the fewer I really intend to and one I really mean it. If you want to conjure up the idea of a Fighting Fantasy city Toledo it. Walls, Towers, a river surrounding steep lanes and cliffs, churches, a cathedral and a looming tower. All this was enhanced when, as new time visitors, and with a child who had finally decided he would try out the English Language saw yet another giant gate and said ‘More-door.’

When we visited Toledo, once terribly butch capital of all that was aggressive and ‘Christian’ was having a moment and thinking how it should sell itself focused on its water past. People don’t seem much bothered about the inhabitants until the Romans turned up about 193BC when the chaps from Italia beat the local Confederation of Celtic Tribes and the place became a civitas stipendiaria.

Toledo is not at the centre of Spain but pretty well near enough and Toledo, an eminently dependable place, became one of Rome’s largest Iberian holds. It’s got a circus which held 15,000 spectators. Christianity came and with it Church Councils - in 400 and 527 - to talk about Priscillianism. Should you wish it know more, here is a link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscillianism I am reminded of a friend of told me of a game where you were at the Council of Nicea and had to get as many of your statements of faith in the creed as possible. I nicked the idea for a game set amongst Republican Factions in 1936 and managed to sneak in some lines from the St Trinian’s Song for the Anarchists. While we are at it. If you were a Christian before the Nicene Creed were you a heretic?

The Visigoths turned up. Toledo makes a bit of this - well, they are little known and just a little sexy. So, in 546, King Theudis began his rule. His reign would be big on metalwork and short on documents - although the one law code manuscript surviving is rare in all of this period. The city became a major producer of religion. The Archbishop of Toledo became El Grande Queso of the Spanish church and they held church councils by the score.