Spain- el Cid

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Tue September 28th, 2010, 3:28 pm

been thinking about looking into some HF on el Cid. anybody got suggestions? or something on early reconquista history?

cheers.

annis · Post by **annis** » Thu September 30th, 2010, 1:47 am

Unfortunately I think El Cid falls into the same category as Charlemagne- larger than life characters who for some odd reason have never attracted much attention from HF writers. Guy Gavriel Kay's novel Lions of Al-Rassan is pretty good, but is slightly alternative history rather than straight HF.

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Thu September 30th, 2010, 2:23 pm

[quote=""annis""]Unfortunately I think El Cid falls into the same category as Charlemagne- larger than life characters who for some odd reason have never attracted much attention from HF writers. [/quote]

That's curious, and I wonder why it is so? You'd think they'd be enduring fodder for literature, like Arthur has been. Didn't Charlemagne even have his own cycle of tales (like Arthur) with Roland and Oliver, et. al.?

Is El Cid's and Charlemagne's lack of popularity in HF only with English language writers, or does it exist in their own language (Spanish and French) literature cultures, as well?

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Thu September 30th, 2010, 3:01 pm

"The Infidel" by Georgia Elizabeth Taylor (1979) is apparently on El Cid.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Infidel-Love-Sp ... 0708817599

http://www.amazon.com/Infidel-Georgia-E ... 0312415982

(courtesy of my copy of 'Historical Figures in Fiction')

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Thu September 30th, 2010, 4:10 pm

On another thread.......I wrote Charlemagne was a historical personage deserves a good HF novel and that includes El Cid.....Not sure why their no interest.....Perhaps a Spanish author....BTW I think The Cid deserves another film remake.....Did not appreciate Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren in the orginal "El Cid"....but it did get my interest fired up the The Cid and the Reconquista History....

Kveto from Prague · Post by **Kveto from Prague** » Thu September 30th, 2010, 9:20 pm

[quote=""Michy""]That's curious, and I wonder why it is so? You'd think they'd be enduring fodder for literature, like Arthur has been. Didn't Charlemagne even have his own cycle of tales (like Arthur) with Roland and Oliver, et. al.?

Is El Cid's and Charlemagne's lack of popularity in HF only with English language writers, or does it exist in their own language (Spanish and French) literature cultures, as well?[/quote]

there are a lot of heroic cycles based on Charlemagne throughout the years. really great reading if you can get your hand on them, especially the song of Roland.

some of the Italian poets wrote some brilliant stuff on Roland (Orlando in Italian.) Pulci, Aristo and Boriado wrote quite a bit on them. Orlando inamorrato (Orlando in Love), Orlando furioso (Orlando gone mad). very challenging readings, but epic storytelling with a multitude of characters. Ive been working on translations for quite a while. Shakespere borrowed heavily from Aristo and Boriado for his plays.

He also features as an atagonist in the renard the fox plays. And he was always in the background of William of Orange legends.

Throughout most of history, Charlemagne was the go to guy of HF writers, far outdistancing Authur who made little impact (in liturature) outside of Britain. In a way, charles was probably overexposed in the past. Plus he has the disadvantage of being a well documented historical figure. Unlike Arthur, who is basically a blank slate with which authors can really do whatever they want.

I think Charlemagne is still popular in German HF (ol chuck is still claimed by both Germans and French, heck by most Europeans) and El Cid is popular in Spain but I dont think hes used in HF much. even in the past there was a tendancy for Spainiards to concentrate on their imaginary knights, like Amadis of Gaul, rather than the real heroes par excellance, like el Cid. Probably for the same reasons as Arthur, not being constrained by actual history.

I love to see continental European HF in English. especially these real personages.

Lucy Pick · Post by **Lucy Pick** » Sat October 2nd, 2010, 1:21 pm

What a coincidence, my latest plot bunny is on El Cid.

There's very little on medieval Spain, especially the early period. Look up Bernard Reilly --- he's an academic historian who wrote a couple of novels in the 70s, one on Covadonga and one on the pilgrimage to Compostela. You can soetimes find them used on alibris and places like that.

There is room for many more.

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Sun October 3rd, 2010, 1:38 am

I have an old proposal written on a novel about El Cid that I hope to dust off, polish, and offer to my editor. Medieval Spain is still a hard sell for US publishers, according to my agent, despite the proliferation of hf set in other countries, but I think I have found an interesting angle on the story. He was indeed fascinating and the period is rife with interesting characters.

Lucy Pick · Post by **Lucy Pick** » Sun October 3rd, 2010, 3:45 pm

And I'm still hoping for a novel from you on Queen Urraca some day!

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Sun October 3rd, 2010, 5:16 pm

[quote=""Lucy Pick""]And I'm still hoping for a novel from you on Queen Urraca some day![/quote]

She's in the El Cid book. How funny - and amazing - that you know her. I love her as a character and she deserves center stage, but I think I'll have to fold her into this larger story I'm proposing, with the marquee name, for my US publisher, because she is so unknown here.

Are you going to be at HNS San Diego? Would love to chat all things Spain with you!