Volume presented by the renowned Professor of Private International Law Manuel Desantes reveals a lesser known aspect of Carlos I of Spain and Charles V of Germany. The narrative explores the royal court’s musical life, highlighting how the monarch supported musical compositions that reflected the splendor of his era and the cultural ambitions of his reign.
After the presentation, the ceremony continued with a formal donation of the author’s work to Don Biblio, who acted as godfather to the event. Desantes explained that the book Hours of Carlos V and the first Lotter travel book, published in 1762, would find a home among readers and scholars.
Apart from the author, Ana Estevan and journalist Asunción Valdés, other attendees joined in placing the volumes on the shelves of the Happy Books Library, joining a growing family of readers and cultural enthusiasts who value historic scholarship.
Carlos I’s “playlist”
The author notes that civil and military officials played a central role in the evening’s tribute, an occasion described as deeply emotional and affectionate. Attendees included the Sub-Delegate for the Defense, Colonel Montero; Lieutenant Colonel Moya and his wife, María Luisa Araujo; the most senior judge of the Alicante County Court, Javier Prieto; and a constellation of figures from the worlds of culture and Alicante society. Prominent among these were the Professor of Musicology Jose Maria Vives; physician Jorge Alió and his wife María López Iglesias; Bethlehem Estevan; ECU editor Jose Antonio Lopez Vizcaino; and the Library team led by its director Mario Córdoba and Beatrice Ceva. The gathering illustrated the strong ties between legal, civic, and cultural communities in preserving historical memory.