Chapter IV: Tirant Enters the Service of the Emperor

OF CONSTANTINOPLE 33

At the request of the Emperor of Constantinople, Tirant
sets sail for that imperial city, and immediately upon his
arrival is named commander of the Emperor’s forces.—He
falls in love with the charming princess, Carmesina.—Opposition
to Tirant.—Princess warns him against the
treacherous Duke of Macedonia.—Tirant’s novel way of
confessing his love.—Review of the Imperial troops.—First
encounter with the Turks.—The Duke defies Tirant.—Two
thousand soldiers sent by the Grand Master of
the Knights of Rhodes arrive to help Tirant.—Tirant’s
strategy wins another victory.—The Turks decide that
Tirant must be slain.—The King of Egypt’s challenge
accepted by Tirant.—Quarrel between Tirant and the
Duke.—Five thousand men sent by Philip, now king of
Sicily, arrive to join Tirant.—Emperor and Princess visit
the camp.—Great rout of the Turks.—Tirant’s companion,
Diaphebus, appointed Constable.—Tirant captures
ships laden with provisions for the enemy.—Fleet of the
Grand Caramany and the King of Sobirana India dispersed
and the royal leaders captured.—Tirant obliged to remain
in bed in Constantinople in order that a serious wound received
in naval battle may heal.—Arrival of five thousand
“franc archers.”—Tirant’s passionate love.—Viuda
Reposada’s jealousy.—Diaphebus marries Stephania.—Tirant
in Carmesina’s chamber.—Hippolyte and the Empress.—Tirant
and Carmesina exchange vows.—Tirant
embarks to return to camp.—Tirant’s ship is driven by a
storm to the shores of Barbary, where it is wrecked.

CHAPTER V. TIRANT CONQUERS ALL BARBARY 54

Tirant reaches the shore and takes refuge in a cave.—He
is discovered and sent to a castle in the kingdom of
Tremicen as a prisoner.—He takes up arms in defense of this
kingdom, which is attacked by Scariano, the King of Tunis.—Maragdina,
the daughter of the King of Tremicen, is
captured by Scariano, who, in his turn, is captured by
Tirant.—Maragdina, Scariano, and a multitude of Moors
become Christians.—Several Moorish kings of Barbary determine
to exterminate the Christians, but are forced to
give up their designs.—Tirant now makes up his mind to
conquer all Barbary.—The siege of Montagata.—Senyor
Dagramunt and Plaer de mi Vida become the king and queen
of Fez and Bugia.—Caramen, the last city to oppose the
Christians, is captured.—Tirant gathers an army of
250,000 men at Constantine to reconquer all the lost territory
for the Emperor of Constantinople.—Christianity is
firmly established in Barbary.

CHAPTER VI. TIRANT RETURNS TO CONSTANTINOPLE AND
THE GREEK EMPIRE IS COMPLETELY RESTORED 61

Tirant’s immense expedition surprises the Moorish vessels
which blockade the port of Constantinople.—The Sultan
and the Grand Turk sue for peace.—Tirant’s visit to the
Imperial Palace.—The Emperor’s conditions of peace
accepted by the Moors.—The betrothal of Tirant and
Carmesina.—He is proclaimed Caesar of the Empire and
successor to the imperial crown.—He sets out with a large
army to accomplish the restoration of the empire.—This
task completed, he starts back for Constantinople.—His
death.—The despair and passing away of the Emperor
and Carmesina.—Hippolyte becomes Emperor.

PART II. AUTHORSHIP OF _TIRANT LO BLANCH_

CHAPTER I. IN WHAT LANGUAGE WAS _Tirant lo Blanch_
FIRST WRITTEN? 69

Purport of dedicatory letter.—Note at the conclusion
of the book.—Reasons for doubting the accuracy of the
statements made by Martorell and de Galba.—Was there
an English original of _Tirant lo Blanch_?—Was there a
Portuguese translation or a Portuguese original?—Parallel
passages from Lull’s _Libre del Orde d’Cauayleria_ and from
_Tirant lo Blanch_.—Others from _Lo Somni d’En Bernat
Metge_ and from Martorell’s work.—Strong evidence that
_Tirant lo Blanch_ was originally written in Catalan.

CHAPTER II. IN WHAT WAY WAS DE GALBA CONNECTED
WITH THE PRODUCTION OF _Tirant lo Blanch_? 91

De Galba asserts that he translated the fourth part, the
end of the work.—The book is not divided into four parts.—The
inconsistency of the proposed seven parts explained.—Internal
evidence refutes the statements of de Galba.—Perhaps
he composed the last chapter.—Probably did no
more than to prepare the MS. for the printer.

PART III. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF _TIRANT
LO BLANCH_ AND THE SOURCES: _GUY OF
WARWICK_; LIFE OF ROGER DE FLOR IN
MUNTANER’S _CHRONICA_; AND LULL’S _LIBRE
DEL ORDE D’CAUAYLERIA_

CHAPTER I. WILLIAM OF WARWICK STANDS FOR THE MATURE
GUY OF WARWICK 97

View generally held that Tirant lo Blanch stands for
Roger de Flor.—A close study of _Guy of Warwick_ tends to
change that view.—The William of Warwick episode is
based on the latter part of the career of Guy of Warwick.—The
principal part of Lull’s work which was utilized
in the episode.

CHAPTER II. TIRANT LO BLANCH RESEMBLES YOUNG GUY
OF WARWICK 104

Tirant and Guy are victors in knightly contests.—Their
love affairs.—Guy’s career at Constantinople.—Comparison
with Tirant’s career at that imperial city.

CHAPTER III. ROGER DE FLOR’S CAREER AT CONSTANTINOPLE 112

Arrival of the Catalan-Aragonese expedition.—Battle
between the _almogávares_ and the Genoese.—First victory
over the Turks.—Roger begins his triumphant march
through Anatolia.—Arrival of reinforcements.—The
power of the Turks completely broken.—Roger proclaimed
Caesar of the empire.—He is slain at Adrianople.—Points
of resemblance in the careers of Tirant lo Blanch and Roger
de Flor.

CHAPTER IV. OTHER MATERIAL FROM THE _Chronica_ UTILIZED
BY MARTORELL 117

The Emperor’s attitude towards the Genoese.—Xor
Miqueli.—Arrival of reinforcements.—The story of Paris
and Helen.—En Fernan de Ahones.—The raising of the
siege of Messina.

CHAPTER V. OTHER MATERIAL FROM _Guy of Warwick_ 122

The shipwreck of Heraud.—The story of Earl Jonas of
Darras.—Felice was well versed in the seven arts.—Guy’s
desperate love.—Oisel’s devotion to Tirri.—Felice justifies
her attitude towards Guy.—Felice’s expression of
grief and despair as Guy lies dead on the bier before her.—The
love story which unfortunately is debased by the
author.—Conclusion: Tirant lo Blanch bears a stronger
resemblance to Guy of Warwick than to Roger de Flor.—The
exploits of Roger de Flor do not constitute the principal
source of _Tirant lo Blanch_.

PART IV. THE HISTORICAL BASES UPON WHICH
TIRANT’S SPHERES OF OPERATION ARE FOUNDED

CHAPTER I. THE WILLIAM OF WARWICK EPISODE 133

This episode is given a setting in the first part of the
fifteenth century.—Henry VI and Richard of Beauchamp.—Sir
John Stuart and the Duke of Exeter.—The author’s
method in composing his work.

CHAPTER II. CONCERNING THE ORDER OF THE GARTER 140

Inconsistency of two passages in _Tirant lo Blanch_.—Circumstances
that led to the institution of this Order.—Names
of members selected by the King.—Golden Collar of
the members.—Although some of the details are inaccurate
from a historical standpoint, yet Martorell reveals an intimate
knowledge of the Order.

CHAPTER III. TIRANT SUCCORS THE KNIGHTS OF RHODES 146

The attempt of the Genoese to capture Rhodes.—Rhodes
threatened by the Turks.—Siege of Rhodes, in 1444,
forms the historical background of Tirant’s enterprise.

CHAPTER IV. TIRANT JOINS THE EXPEDITION OF THE KING
OF FRANCE AGAINST THE INFIDELS 150

Certain incidents and geographical names pertaining to
this expedition coincide with certain others in connection
with the Crusades of Louis IX.—Joinville’s description
of the king’s leap into the sea compared with a later version.

CHAPTER V. TIRANT CONQUERS AND CHRISTIANIZES ALL
BARBARY 152

Portuguese campaigns against the Moors do not furnish
any material for this undertaking.—Statements in regard to
the origin of _Tirant lo Blanch_ apparently refuted.—Muntaner’s
_Chronica_ furnished historical background for Tirant’s
activities in Barbary, perhaps suggested by Guy of Warwick.

CONCLUSION 158

General description of _Tirant lo Blanch_.—This Catalan
romance of chivalry is a composite historical novel, with
a hero of a composite historical character.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 163

INDEX 165

TIRANT LO BLANCH