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
The Magaduch sent word to the Admiral to bring the whole fleet to Ania.
In the meantime En Berenguer de Rocafort arrived at Constantinople
with 200 cavalry and 1000 infantry, and these were immediately sent to
the Magaduch. These reinforcements, the fleet, and the forces in the
field all came together at Ania. Rocafort was made Seneschal. At this
place another clash with the enemy took place, and the latter was soon
put to flight. The victorious army then continued its march through
Anatolia, and when they arrived at a mountain pass called “La Porta
del Ferre,” they were attacked by a large army of the enemy. The Turks
fought furiously, but in vain; they were forced to flee and the victors
pursued them until darkness intervened.
Finally the power of the Turks in Anatolia was completely broken. Roger
now asked the emperor to make a payment to his troops, and the latter
ordered special money to be coined. This money was not worth its face
value. The emperor did this in order that friction and hatred might
arise between the people of the empire and the strangers, for “if he
had not had need of these foreigners, he would have wished all of them
dead and out of the empire.”
En Berenguer Dentença arrived with additional reinforcements. A few
days later Roger suggested to the emperor that the newly-arrived
commander should be given a position of honor, and offered to resign
his position in order that Dentença might be appointed Magaduch. His
Imperial Majesty approved this suggestion. The following day Roger
placed his cap on the head of Dentença and gave him the insignia of
the high office of Magaduch. Thereupon the emperor asked Roger to be
seated and proclaimed him Caesar of the Empire. Caesar’s throne was a
half-hand lower than the emperor’s, and his cap and robes were blue
instead of red. That constituted the only difference between emperor
and Caesar. There had been no Caesar of the Empire for four hundred
years. Roger’s elevation to this dignity was celebrated with great
solemnity.
Another winter came on, and the Caesar spent it with his troops
at Gallipoli. After the Christmas festivities he returned to
Constantinople to confer with the emperor in regard to affairs of
the empire. As a result of this consultation the whole territory of
Anatolia and the islands of Romania were placed in his hands. He was to
distribute the cities, towns, and castles among vassals, who were to
furnish armed men and horses in return.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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