Catalan Chronicles: Desclot, Muntaner, and Peter the Ceremonious
Chronicles of Catalonia: Desclot, Muntaner, and Peter the Ceremonious
Chronicle of Bernard Desclot. In the chronicle of Bernard Desclot, or Book of King Peter, drafted between 1283 and 1288, the author remains in the background. The real focus is Peter II the Great, a contemporary of the author, whose brief reign (1276 – 1285) is explained in detail, with precision, clarity, and historical accuracy. Desclot briefly recounts the reigns of three monarchs before portraying Peter II the Great, son and successor of James I the Conqueror, as a chivalrous hero. He focuses on two major themes: the conquest of Sicily and the invasion of Catalonia by the French, and their subsequent expulsion by the king. Almost nothing is known about Bernat Desclot, but it can be deduced that the chronicler was a member of the Catalan Court, demonstrating great skill in composition and utilizing vigorous, stark, supple, precise, and clear prose.
Chronicle of Ramon Muntaner (1265 Perelada – Ibiza 1336) was written between 1325 and 1328. It is the most beautiful and exciting chronicle of Catalan literature, and one of the crowning works of the Middle Ages in Europe. The story goes from the birth of James I (1207) until the coronation of Alfonso III the Benign (1328). The kings and heads of companies play the main military role in the narrative, but the author also explains that he was the protagonist of many events. The story, like those of James I and Peter of Aragon, is shaped like a book of personal memories through which we learn about the hectic life of the author, full of adventure, travel, business, diplomatic, and war experiences. The most important aspect is the account of the famous Catalan Expedition to the East, in which the author participated as one of the main protagonists of the company led by the almogavers under Roger de Flor.
Chronicle of Peter the Ceremonious. The last of the four chronicles is that of King Peter IV of Aragon (1319-1387), written between 1349 and 1385. Inspired by the example of his great-grandfather James I, it aims to justify his tortuous policies. Like James I’s chronicle, it is a book of royal “memories,” inspired, directed, supervised, and partly dictated by the king, but materially produced by his collaborators. It recounts the reign of Peter III and his father, Alfonso the Benign. The most important issues are the reinstatement of the kingdom of Majorca and the war against the rebellious nobles of the Union of Aragon and Valencia. It differs greatly from the other three chronicles. It is written in autobiographical form, and the epic tone is absent. It is the only chronicle that does not use prosified feats. The king is shown not as a chivalrous hero, but rather as a Renaissance prince: authoritative, meticulous, intriguing, cunning, ruthless, and even cruel.
Ramon Llull (XIII)
Ramon Llull was born in Mallorca into a noble family. At the age of 30, after writing troubadour poems, he claimed that Jesus Christ revealed himself to him for 5 nights, leading him to renounce his worldly possessions and dedicate himself to converting non-believers. His approach involved:
- Learning languages.
- Using examples (Learning).
- Studying culture.
- Traveling (to open up to different worlds and new cultures).
He taught at Montpellier and wrote many books, displaying a feudal mentality but with completely modern ideas.
Works
(This was the first poetry he wrote in Catalan).
Verse:
- Lo consell (1311).
- Ramón.
Prose:
- Lo desconhort.
- El song.
- Book of Contemplation (1272-75).
- Book Order of Chivalry (1275-6).
- Book Evast Aloma Blanquerna (1283-6). Inside there was the Book of the Beasts (Fables).
- Book Lover and Beloved (1286).
- Book of Wonders or Felix (1288-9).