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Charlemagne and his Legend in Early Spanish Literature and Historiography

Ryan D Giles editor Matthew Bailey editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Published:19th Aug '16

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Charlemagne and his Legend in Early Spanish Literature and Historiography cover

New examinations of the figure of Charlemagne in Spanish literature and culture. The historical point of departure for this volume is Charlemagne's ill-fated incursion into Spain in 778. After an unsuccessful siege of Zaragoza, the king of the Franks directed his army north and on his passage through the Pyrenees, he turned his wrath on Pamplona, destroying the Basque city and its walls. The Basques subsequently ambushed the rearguard of Charlemagne's army on the heights of Pyrenees, killing numerous officers of the palace, plunderingthe baggage, and then vanishing into the forested hills, leaving the Franks to grieve without the satisfaction of revenge. In Spain, popular narratives eventually diverted their attention away from the Franks to the Spaniards responsible for their slaughter. This volume explores those legendary narratives of the Spaniards who defeated Charlemagne's army and the larger textual and cultural context of his presence in Spain, from before their careful elaboration in Latin and vernacular chronicles into the early modern period. It shares with previous studies a focus on the narration of historical and imaginary events across genres, but is unique in its emphasis on the reception and evolution of the legendary figure of Charlemagne in Spain. Overall, its purpose is to address the diversity and importance of the Carolingian legends in the literary, historical, and imaginative spheres during the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and into the seventeenth century. Matthew Bailey is Professor of Spanish at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia; Ryan D. Giles is Associate Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Indiana University, Bloomington. Contributors: Frederick A. de Armas, Matthew Bailey, Anibal Biglieri, Ryan D. Giles, Lucy K. Pick, Mercedes Vaquero.

The volume as a whole makes a substantial contribution to the study of a literary tradition that is fundamental to Hispanic literature. It shows the constant updating of the legend, its capacity to serve as a point of reflection on contemporary themes, the centrality of questions of identity, both political and religious, and finally its inexhaustible capacity for literary inspiration. [...] this volume, edited by Bailey and Giles, should be compulsory reading for all those interested in the legend of Charlemagne and its presence in Spain. * Speculum *

ISBN: 9781843844204

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 456g

216 pages