Bernardo del Carpio
Encyclopedia
Bernald del Carpio, also Bernaldo del Carpio and Bernardo del Carpio, is a legendary hero of medieval Kingdom of Asturias
, comparable to other legendary medieval Iberian
heroes like El Cid
.
, stories feature him striving against Alfonso to release his father from prison. Other stories have him as the rival and slayer of Roland
at Roncesvaux
.
Bernardo was said to be the son of Sancho, the Count of Saldaña
and Dona Ximena (Alfonso II's sister, therefore grandson of King Fruela I of Asturias
). Alfonso was not happy with the marriage, so he had Sancho blinded and thrown into prison and took Bernardo. He was raised in Alfonso II's court. Everybody was ordered not to tell the young Bernardo who his father was.http://geo.ya.com/conceyucatalan/hismedieval/hisme1.htm
Alfonso invited Charlemagne
into Iberia to defeat the Moors
, promising to name him as heir. Bernardo's victory at Roncesvaux ended that plan. But Bernardo then joined up with the Moors, hoping to force Alfonso into action; but Alfonso secretly had Sancho killed while in prison.
of the Kingdom of León
. Later, the Castilian poet Pero Ferrús
(fl.
1380) mentions Bernardo del Carpio in one of his cantigas, which combines the theme of the good life in Castile
with a series of loores, or lyric paeans, to a series of Greek
, Roman
, Biblical, chivalric
, and Arab
heroes.
In 1624 Bernardo de Balbuena
published El Bernardo, an account of Bernardo's exploits. It is considered one of the masterpieces of Spanish literature
.
In the opening of Don Quixote, Cervantes
has the protagonist especially admiring Bernardo because he crushed Roland with his arms alone, although the context is clear that Don Quixote is placing too much credence in the fantastic stories of romance
.
Kingdom of Asturias
The Kingdom of Asturias was a Kingdom in the Iberian peninsula founded in 718 by Visigothic nobles under the leadership of Pelagius of Asturias. It was the first Christian political entity established following the collapse of the Visigothic kingdom after Islamic conquest of Hispania...
, comparable to other legendary medieval Iberian
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
heroes like El Cid
El Cid
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar , known as El Cid Campeador , was a Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat...
.
The story
Supposedly the nephew of Alfonso II of AsturiasAlfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II , called the Chaste, was the king of Asturias from 791 to his death, the son of Fruela I and the Basque Munia.He was born in Oviedo in 759 or 760. He was put under the guardianship of his aunt Adosinda after his father's death, but one tradition relates his being put in the monastery of...
, stories feature him striving against Alfonso to release his father from prison. Other stories have him as the rival and slayer of Roland
Roland
Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
at Roncesvaux
Battle of Roncevaux Pass
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass was a battle in 778 in which Roland, prefect of the Breton March and commander of the rear guard of Charlemagne's army, was defeated by the Basques...
.
Bernardo was said to be the son of Sancho, the Count of Saldaña
Saldaña, Palencia
Saldaña is the principal town of the fertile Palencia plains in Spain, and may be the town of "Eldana" mentioned by the historian Ptolemy as being conquered by the Roman Empire....
and Dona Ximena (Alfonso II's sister, therefore grandson of King Fruela I of Asturias
Fruela I of Asturias
Fruela I , called the Cruel, was the King of Asturias from 757 until his death, when he was assassinated. He was the eldest son of Alfonso I and continued the work of his father....
). Alfonso was not happy with the marriage, so he had Sancho blinded and thrown into prison and took Bernardo. He was raised in Alfonso II's court. Everybody was ordered not to tell the young Bernardo who his father was.http://geo.ya.com/conceyucatalan/hismedieval/hisme1.htm
Alfonso invited Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
into Iberia to defeat the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
, promising to name him as heir. Bernardo's victory at Roncesvaux ended that plan. But Bernardo then joined up with the Moors, hoping to force Alfonso into action; but Alfonso secretly had Sancho killed while in prison.
Origins
The original legend of Bernardo del Carpio was sung by the jongleursJongleurs
Jongleurs is a chain of comedy clubs in the United Kingdom. Maria Kempinska MBE established and opened the first Jongleurs club in 1983 in Battersea, London. In 1985 Maria then met her business partner John Davy, and together they built the Jongleurs brand. The company evolved into a corporate...
of the Kingdom of León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
. Later, the Castilian poet Pero Ferrús
Pero Ferrús
Pero Ferrús was a Castilian poet. He lived in Alcalá de Henares....
(fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1380) mentions Bernardo del Carpio in one of his cantigas, which combines the theme of the good life in Castile
Castile (historical region)
A former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
with a series of loores, or lyric paeans, to a series of Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, Roman
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
, Biblical, chivalric
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
, and Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
heroes.
In 1624 Bernardo de Balbuena
Bernardo de Balbuena
Bernardo de Balbuena was a Spanish poet. He was the first of a long series of Latin American poets who extolled the special beauties of the New World.- Life :...
published El Bernardo, an account of Bernardo's exploits. It is considered one of the masterpieces of Spanish literature
Spanish literature
Spanish literature generally refers to literature written in the Spanish language within the territory that presently constitutes the state of Spain...
.
In the opening of Don Quixote, Cervantes
Cervantes
-People:*Alfonso J. Cervantes , mayor of St. Louis, Missouri*Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, 16th-century man of letters*Ignacio Cervantes, Cuban composer*Jorge Cervantes, a world-renowned expert on indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse cannabis cultivation...
has the protagonist especially admiring Bernardo because he crushed Roland with his arms alone, although the context is clear that Don Quixote is placing too much credence in the fantastic stories of romance
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
.