The Incorporated Knight
Encyclopedia
The Incorporated Knight is a fantasy
novel written by L. Sprague de Camp
and Catherine Crook de Camp
, the first book in a sequence of two. Chapters 1-5 first appeared as the short stories "Two Yards of Dragon", "The Coronet", "Spider Love" and "Eudoric's Unicorn" in Flashing Swords!
, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and The Year's Best Fantasy Stories
in 1976-1977. The complete novel was first published in hardcover by Phantasia Press
in 1987, and in paperback by Baen Books
in 1988. An E-book
edition was published by Gollancz
's SF Gateway imprint on September 29, 2011 as part of a general release of de Camp's works in electronic form.
A subsequent rescue of Emmerhard from a magic spell finally secures him the knighthood, but he remains unlucky in love, as the baron's daughter also shuns his hand. (This material first appeared as the short story "The Coronet.")
Next Eudoric pursues the daughter of Rainmar, a local robber baron who has been raiding his coach line. Rainmar tasks him with slaying the giant spider Fraka, and once again matters go awry. While Eudoric's knightly reputation and stage line prosper, his marriage prospects remain nil. (This material first appeared as the short story "Spider Love.")
The pattern is repeated when he is commissioned to capture a unicorn for his ultimate overlord Emperor Thorar IX of the New Napolitanian Empire. (This material first appeared as the short story "Eudoric's Unicorn.")
It is only when Eudoric seeks to extend his stage line into a neighboring kingdom and is sent to rescue its princess wedded bliss finally finds him — or does it? For it seems she is a female Bluebeard
, an enchantress who regularly collects husbands and petrifies them as she tires of them. Ultimately successful in escaping this lethal spouse, he returns home, where he finds his first intended Lusina also back, disillusioned with her unreliable lover. Reunited, the two find happiness together at last.
are both set in the medieval era of an alternate world sharing the geography of our own, but in which a "Napolitanian" (Neapolitan) empire filled the role of Rome and no universal religion like Christianity ever arose, leaving its nations split among competing pagan sects. The New Napolitanian Empire of which Eudoric is a subject roughly corresponds to our world's Holy Roman Empire
, or Germany
, while the lands he visits to the west are cognates of France
and Brittany
. The geography of more eastern regions is borrowed in part from the fanciful regions portrayed in Mandeville's Travels
. In keeping with the character of de Camp's fantasy world as a cognate of our own, its place names tend to echo those of the real world. For instance, the city of Letitia, which Eudoric visits, is a variation on Lutetia, the ancient name of Paris
.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel written by L. Sprague de Camp
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
and Catherine Crook de Camp
Catherine Crook de Camp
Catherine Crook de Camp, was an American science fiction and fantasy author and editor. Most of whose work was done in collaboration with her husband L. Sprague de Camp, to whom she was married for sixty years. Her solo work was largely non-fiction.-Life:Catherine Crook was born Catherine Adelaide...
, the first book in a sequence of two. Chapters 1-5 first appeared as the short stories "Two Yards of Dragon", "The Coronet", "Spider Love" and "Eudoric's Unicorn" in Flashing Swords!
Flashing Swords!
Flashing Swords! was a series of fantasy anthologies published by Dell Books from 1973 to 1981 under the editorship of Lin Carter. It showcased the heroic fantasy work of the members of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America , a somewhat informal literary group active from the 1960s to the...
, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and The Year's Best Fantasy Stories
The Year's Best Fantasy Stories (series)
The Year’s Best Fantasy Stories was a series of annual anthologies published by DAW Books from 1975 to 1988 under the successive editorships of Lin Carter from 1975 to 1980 and Arthur W. Saha from 1981 to 1988. The series was a companion to DAW’s The Annual World’s Best SF, issued from 1972 to 1990...
in 1976-1977. The complete novel was first published in hardcover by Phantasia Press
Phantasia Press
Phantasia Press Inc. was a small publisher formed by Alex Berman publishing short-run, hardcover limited editions of science fiction and fantasy books. It was active from 1978-1989. The company was based in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The publisher specialized in limited quality first hardcover...
in 1987, and in paperback by Baen Books
Baen Books
Baen Books is an American publishing company established in 1983 by long time science fiction publisher and editor Jim Baen. It is a science fiction and fantasy publishing house that emphasizes space opera, hard science fiction, military science fiction, and fantasy...
in 1988. An E-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
edition was published by Gollancz
Victor Gollancz Ltd
Victor Gollancz Ltd was a major British book publishing house of the twentieth century. It was founded in 1927 by Victor Gollancz and specialised in the publication of high quality literature, nonfiction and popular fiction, including science fiction. Upon Gollancz's death in 1967, ownership...
's SF Gateway imprint on September 29, 2011 as part of a general release of de Camp's works in electronic form.
Plot summary
Squire Eudoric Damberson of Zurgau wishes to wed Lusina, the daughter of his former tutor, the magician Doctor Baldonius. The price is attaining the status of knight and supplying the magician with a portion of dragon hide for use in his magic. Dragons are locally scarce, so Eudoric and his trusty servant Jillo set out for Pathenia to slay one. But once the two do manage to bring one down (by accident) they face legal complications for violating the local game laws. Returning, Eudoric finds his promised bride has run off with a minstrel, and his feudal lord Baron Emmerhard disinclined to knight him for his heroic exploit; he consoles himself by pursuing a scheme to establish a stagecoach line like those in Pathenia. (This material first appeared as the short story "Two Yards of Dragon.")A subsequent rescue of Emmerhard from a magic spell finally secures him the knighthood, but he remains unlucky in love, as the baron's daughter also shuns his hand. (This material first appeared as the short story "The Coronet.")
Next Eudoric pursues the daughter of Rainmar, a local robber baron who has been raiding his coach line. Rainmar tasks him with slaying the giant spider Fraka, and once again matters go awry. While Eudoric's knightly reputation and stage line prosper, his marriage prospects remain nil. (This material first appeared as the short story "Spider Love.")
The pattern is repeated when he is commissioned to capture a unicorn for his ultimate overlord Emperor Thorar IX of the New Napolitanian Empire. (This material first appeared as the short story "Eudoric's Unicorn.")
It is only when Eudoric seeks to extend his stage line into a neighboring kingdom and is sent to rescue its princess wedded bliss finally finds him — or does it? For it seems she is a female Bluebeard
Bluebeard
"Bluebeard" is a French literary folktale written by Charles Perrault and is one of eight tales by the author first published by Barbin in Paris in January 1697 in Histoires ou Contes du temps passé. The tale tells the story of a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives and the...
, an enchantress who regularly collects husbands and petrifies them as she tires of them. Ultimately successful in escaping this lethal spouse, he returns home, where he finds his first intended Lusina also back, disillusioned with her unreliable lover. Reunited, the two find happiness together at last.
Setting
The Incorporated Knight and its sequel The Pixilated PeeressThe Pixilated Peeress
The Pixilated Peeress is a fantasy novel written by L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp. It is the second book in a sequence of two, following The Incorporated Knight. It was first published in hardcover by Del Rey Books in 1991, and in paperback by the same publisher in 1992...
are both set in the medieval era of an alternate world sharing the geography of our own, but in which a "Napolitanian" (Neapolitan) empire filled the role of Rome and no universal religion like Christianity ever arose, leaving its nations split among competing pagan sects. The New Napolitanian Empire of which Eudoric is a subject roughly corresponds to our world's Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, or Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, while the lands he visits to the west are cognates of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. The geography of more eastern regions is borrowed in part from the fanciful regions portrayed in Mandeville's Travels
John Mandeville
"Jehan de Mandeville", translated as "Sir John Mandeville", is the name claimed by the compiler of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, a book account of his supposed travels, written in Anglo-Norman French, and first circulated between 1357 and 1371.By aid of translations into many other languages...
. In keeping with the character of de Camp's fantasy world as a cognate of our own, its place names tend to echo those of the real world. For instance, the city of Letitia, which Eudoric visits, is a variation on Lutetia, the ancient name of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.