Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical settingVaeth, Joseph Anthony
History
Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical setting
Vaeth, Joseph Anthony
Martorell, Joanot, -1468. Tirant lo Blanch
But let us follow the account concerning the Order as we find it
in _Tirant lo Blanch_. In the castle at Windsor was prepared a
beautiful chapel which was to serve as a home for the new fraternity.
The king was the first to take the oath to obey its statutes and
ordinances. Then he selected twenty-five other knights to constitute
its membership, and the first one chosen was Tirant, because he was
the best of all. Then the following were named: “lo Princep de Gales,
lo Duch de Beta fort [Bedford], lo Duch de lencastre [Lancaster], lo
Duch datçetera [Exeter], lo Marques de Sofolch [Suffolk], lo Marques de
Sanct Jordi, lo Marques de Belpuig, Johan de Varoych, Gran Conestable,
lo Comte de Nortabar [Northumberland], lo Comte de Salasberi, lo Comte
destafort [Stafford], lo Comte de Vilamur, lo Comte de les Marches
Negres, lo Comte d’la Joyosa Guarda, lo Senyor de Scala Rompuda, lo
Senyor de Puig Vert, lo Senyor de Terra Noua, Miçer Johan Stuart, Miçer
de Riuçech.” All these were from the kingdom. The foreigners were: “lo
Duch de Berri, lo Duch Danjou, lo Comte de Flandes.” Then the author
says: “Foren tots en nombre .xxvi. cauallers.” But, including the king
and Tirant, he has named only twenty-four.
According to history, Edward the Third founded the Order of the Garter
between the years 1344 and 1351. The roll of founders consists of
twenty-six names. Besides those of the king and the Prince of Wales,
there are only four names given by Martorell that can be found on the
roll. The Duke of Exeter was elected into the Order in 1400 and his
is the ninety-ninth name on the list of members. The Duke of Suffolk
was elected in 1420 and his number is one hundred and forty on the
list. From a historical standpoint, Martorell made a blunder when he
gave the name of Sir John Stuart as a member, for the latter was an
enemy of England. Several of the names seem to be pure inventions. It
is evident that Martorell made up a list of his own. At first we are
surprised that he did not include the name of William of Warwick, but
since the latter had so resolutely insisted upon living as a hermit, he
could not consistently have been made a member. We have noticed that
instead of naming twenty-six, he named but twenty-four. Why did he not
name the Duke of Gloucester, whom he mentions in his work? It is indeed
surprising that he did not name one of the Portuguese kings, for John
I, Edward, and Alphonse V were all members of the Order. The latter was
the brother of Prince Ferdinand, to whom the book was dedicated. If
Martorell had known that these kings were honored with membership in
the noble Order, he would hardly have failed to mention one of them.
But he named none of these, and consequently the conclusion may be
drawn that he did not live at the court of Portugal and that he knew
little more about Prince Ferdinand than his name. And, moreover, these
omissions indicate rather strongly that the work was not first written
in the Portuguese language.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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