Diego Alatriste: A Historical Fiction Summary
Diego Alatriste, a soldier wounded in Flanders (present-day Netherlands), abandons the war. He faces imprisonment for tax evasion.
Upon his release, Lieutenant Martín Saldaña informs Alatriste of an offer for his services, promising a substantial reward. Alatriste accepts, joining forces with Walter Malatesta to attack two Englishmen arriving from Madrid.
Fray Emilio Bocanegra, the president of the Inquisition, offers them more money to kill the Englishmen. They are ambushed at night, but Alatriste survives. He then allies with the British (Prince Charles Stuart and the Marquis of Buckingham) at the Count of Guadalmedina’s residence (Álvaro de la Marca).
Martín Saldaña later arrests Íñigo, but Alatriste follows him. Alatriste encounters Fray Emilio Bocanegra, who questions and releases him. However, Alatriste’s friends are ambushed, and he escapes.
Alatriste attends a play by Lope de Vega with Íñigo and his friends. They are ambushed again, but Alatriste is saved by Francisco de Quevedo, who is then taken prisoner.
Alatriste speaks with the Count of Olivares and conceals the truth. Louis Alquezar appears, implicating Fray Emilio Bocanegra.
The British give Alatriste a gold ring and a letter, requesting assistance from any British subject if needed.
Characters
- Diego Alatriste: A veteran soldier who earns a living as a swordsman in Spain. He is brave and sensitive, though he hides his emotions, and is always ready to help his friends. He has a lover, the Lebrijana Charity, the owner of the Turkish tavern, where he met Íñigo Balboa.
- Íñigo Balboa: The narrator of the story, a thirteen-year-old boy who lives with Captain Alatriste after his father fought alongside him in Flanders. He is brave and saves the captain’s life. He is in love with Angelica Alquezar, the niece of Luis de Alquezar. He betrays Alatriste at the end.
- Francisco de Quevedo: A close friend and sparring partner of Captain Alatriste. He is lame but a skilled swordsman. He is a great writer, known for his sharp wit, often used against the king or his enemies, such as Luis de Gongora.
- Fray Emilio Bocanegra: The president of the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition. He is rigid and famous for persecuting heretics. He is a mortal enemy of Diego Alatriste because he failed to kill the two British heretics.
- Luis de Alquezar: The king’s secretary. He is arrogant and behaves differently in front of the Count of Olivares. He is one of the masked figures who hired the captain to kill the English. He has immense hatred for Alatriste and tries to kill him through Walter Malatesta.
- Walter Malatesta: An Italian swordsman hired by Luis de Alquezar to attack the British along with Diego Alatriste. He has a score to settle with Diego Alatriste since he stopped him from killing Prince Charles Stuart.