Kings of the Grail: Tracing the Historic Journey of the Cup of Christ from Jerusalem to Modern-Day Spain

Stand down, Indiana Jones: these two historians say the holy grail has been discovered. Sevilla, professor of medieval history at the University of León, and del Rio, an art historian, bring their scholarship to the quest for the chalice used at Jesus’s last supper. The grail is no crude object of wood or clay, but an agate cup, embellished with precious metals and stones; and it resides in León, Spain—or so say these Spanish historians. The story the authors tell—with parchment documents from Egypt, Muslim visionaries, and Spanish royalty—is a ride rich in historical detail, beginning with the last supper itself. The suggestion that the cup brokered peace between Muslims and Christians lends a poignant element to the journey through Moorish Spain, finally landing in the Basilica of San Isidoro. Tantalizing aspects of the legends, from the grail’s maiden guards to beliefs in its healing power, also have a place in this intriguing story. Whether or not readers agree with the authors’ conclusions, this speculative voyage is certainly enjoyable. (July)