History Literature / EuricoThePresbyter

* TheLowMiddleAges: The book takes place during such period and it's show that Visigothic Spain wasn't that much better of a place before the Arabs arrived.

* ParentalMarriageVeto: Hermengada's father Favila refuses to allow his daughter marry a lowly knight.

* StarCrossedLovers: Eurico and Hermengarda. They are deeply in love with each other, but her father refuses to allow them to marry because of his station as a lowly knight. [[spoiler:After rescuing her from Abdulaziz's harem, they still can't be together because of his vows as a priest and his duty to liberate Hispania from the Arab occupation]].

* AHouseDivided: Hispania was far from an functioning and stable realm with several petty kings bickering with each other. It's only under Pelagius that things get a little better since the bad ones are out of the way.

* AnachronismStew: In the Portuguese language at least, characters use the expression "Oxalá" ("god willing") which originates from the Arabic ''inshallah''. The problem is that they use this before the Arab invasion even takes place.

* KarmaHoudini: Downplayed. [[spoiler:Abdulaziz ibn Musa loses Hermengada, but still survives to the end of the story. However, those [[ForegoneConclusion familiar with history find out]] that his [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_al-Aziz_ibn_Musa historical counterpart]] died later on as result of [[DeadlyDecadentCourt court intrigue]] [[note]] Abdulaziz took a Visigothic wife who encouraged him to [[GoingNative adopt local costumes]] and his political rivals began instigating rumors that he converted to Christianity which led to the caliph ordering his execution also out of paranoia that he'd break away and form his independent monarchy in Al-Andalus[[/note]].]]

* AnachronismStew: In the Portuguese language at least, characters use the "Oxalá" ("god willing") which originates from the Arabic ''inshallah''. The problem is that they use this before the Arab invasion even takes place.

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* WarriorMonk: The main protagonist, again.

* DamselInDistress: Hermengarda in typical chivalric fashion.
* TheDreaded: Some of the most superstitious Muslims come to see the Black Knight as the ''literal devil in human form''.

* DarkAgeEurope: The book takes place during such period and it's show that Visigothic Spain wasn't that much better of a place before the Arabs arrived.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: The historical Ebas is said to have fought on the Visigothic side in Guadalete and was executed alongside all other Christian nobles by the Arabs. In the book, he betrays his fellow Christians during the battle in order to get the throne for himself (along his brother) [[spoiler:and is slain by Eurico for his treachery]].

* WarriorPoet: Eurico is just as capable of reciting and composing poems and hymns as he is to smash his enemies' skulls.

* TheQuisling: One of the key reasons why Hispania fell other than being in disarray were individual Visigothic nobles that helped the Arabs conquer their fellow countrymen out of pure self-interest or grudges with the hold regime and not because they converted to Islam, which is why the Arabs disdain them.

''Eurico, the Presbyter'' (or ''Eurico, o Presbítero'' in its original language) is a {{Historical Fiction}}al romance by Portuguese writer Alexander Herculano in 1844. Set during the [[EndOfAnAge dying days]] of the [[DarkAgeEurope Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania]], our protagonist Eurico is a [[HeartbrokenBadass heartbroken knight]] who has become a priest to alleviate the refusal to marry his beloved [[LoveInterest Hermengarda]] by her father. However, as the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Penisula begins, he is thrust into action by taking a mysterious identity as the BlackKnight to liberate his land and [[SaveThePrincess save Hermengarda]].

* DamselInDistress: Hermengarda in typical chivalry fashion.

''Eurico, the Presbyter'' (or ''Eurico, o Presbítero'' in its original language) is a {{Historical Fiction}}al romance by Portuguese writer Alexander Herculano in 1844. Set during the [[EndOfAnAge dying days]] of the [[DarkAgeEurope Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania]], our protagonist Eurico is a heartbroken knight who has become a priest to alleviate the refusal to marry his beloved [[LoveInterest Hermengarda]] by her father. However, as the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Penisula begins, he is thrust into action by taking a mysterious identity as the BlackKnight to liberate his land and save Hermengarda.

* HeartbrokenBadass: Eurico becomes a priest to mitigate the pain of being refused the hand of his beloved in marriage.

''Eurico, the Presbyter'' (or ''Eurico, o Presbítero'' in its original language) is a {{Historical Fiction}}al romance by Portuguese writer Alexander Herculano in 1844. Set during the [[EndOfAnAge dying days]] of the [[DarkAgeEurope Visigothic kingdom of Iberia]], our protagonist Eurico is a heartbroken knight who has become a priest to alleviate the refusal to marry his beloved [[LoveInterest Hermengarda]] by her father. However, as the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Penisula begins, he is thrust into action by taking a mysterious identity as the BlackKnight to liberate his land and save Hermengarda.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Eurico rescues Hermengarda and she is returned to her brother's safety. However, all of the Iberian Penisula outside of Pelagius' newly formed Kingdom of Asturias has fallen under Arab control which pushes Eurico to continue his fight to liberate it. He is forced to leave his beloved behind and never see her again, while she goes mad with grief. Though Pelagius has established the Kingdom of Asturias which begins the process of Reconquista, it will take many centuries and none of them will live to see it completed]].

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Several characters from that time period such as Pelagius, Tariq ibn Ziyad and Roderic either appear or are mentioned.

* SoiledCityOnAHill: The Visigothic Kingdom just before the Arab invasion was unambiguously portrayed as a morally decayed realm governed by extremely corrupt rulers like Roderic. It's because of their state they are completely unprepared when Tariq crosses the strait of Gibraltar and some Christians themselves believe the invasion is God punishing them for their inequity.
* StarCrossedLovers: Eurico and Hermengarda. They are deeply in love with each other, but her father refuses to allow them to marry because of his station as a lowly knight. [[spoiler:After rescuing her from Abdulaziz's harem, they still can't be together because of his vows as a priest and his duty to liberate the Iberia from the Arab occupation]].

The story depicts how Iberian penisula fell under Arabic control with the most significant events like being based in real life, only observed or participated by Eurico. While the main protagonist is entirely fictional, most of the cast are historical figures associated with that particular period or slightly renamed or changed.

* FounderOfTheKingdom: Pelagius goes on to establish the Kingdom of Asturias, the predecessor of modern Spain and Portugal

''Eurico, the Presbyter'' (or ''Eurico, o Presbítero'' in its original language) is a {{Historical Fiction}}al romance by Portuguese writer Alexander Herculano in 1844. Set during the [[EndOfAnAge dying days]] of the [[DarkAgeEurope Visigothic kingdom of Iberia]], our protagonist Eurico is a heartbroken knight who has become a priest to alleviate the refusal to marry his beloved [[LoveInterest Hermengarda]] by her father. However, the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Penisula begins, he is thrust into action by taking a mysterious identity as the BlackKnight to liberate his land and save Hermengarda.

The story depicts how Iberian penisula fell under Arabic control with the most significant events being based in real life, only observed or participated by Eurico.

* SoiledCityOnAHill: The Visigothic Kingdom just before the Arab invasion was unambiguously portrayed as a morally decayed realm governed by extremely corrupt rulers like Roderic. It's because of their state they are completely unprepared when Tariq crosses the strait and some Christians themselves believe the invasion is God punishing them for their inequity.

* AristocratsAreEvil: The emirs, walis and sheikhs are a given, though many Visigothic nobles aren't really much better such as King Roderic and Count Julian of Celta.
* ArtisticLicenseReligion: The Arabs refer to Eurico as "Iblis, the king of Gehenna", by comparing him to a demon in human form because of his badassery in combat. In Islamic tradition, Iblis isn't even a demon in the [[FallenAngel same sense]] as {{Satan}} is in Christian tradition; he is neither a punisher nor does he rule over Hell, but is rather a tempter that leads people astray which makes this comparison very off. Meanwhile Gehenna is actually part of ''Jewish'' tradition.

* OutsideContextProblem: The Visigoths were completely unprepared for an invading force with a completely different culture and religion coming from the south since they spent a long time warring the Franks from the north, who were former barbarians that adopted the same costumes as theyhad.

* ArtisticLicenseReligion: The Arabs refer to Eurico as "Iblis, the king of Gehenna", by comparing him to a demon in human form. In Islamic tradition, the Iblis is neither a punisher nor does he rule over Hell, but is rather a tempter that leads people astray. Iblis isn't even a demon in the [[FallenAngel same sense]] as {{Satan}} is in Christian tradition, while Gehenna is actually part of ''Jewish'' tradition.

* ArtisticLicenseReligion: The Arabs refer to Eurico as "Iblis, the king of Gehenna", by comparing him to a demon in human form, describing him as the devil "Iblis, the king of Gehenna". In Islamic tradition, the Iblis is neither a punisher nor does he rule over Hell, but is rather a tempter that leads people astray. Gehenna isn't even part of Islamic tradition.

* RoyalHarem: Abdulaziz keeps one and forces Hermengarda into it, being so taken by her beauty that promises that she will be favored and envied above all his other women.

* ArtisticLicenseReligion: The Arabs compare the main protagonist as a demon in human form, describing him as the devil "Iblis, the king of Gehenna". In Islamic tradition, the Devil is neither a punisher nor does rule over Hell, but rather a tempter that leads people astray.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Eurico rescues Hermengarda and she is returned to her brother's safety. However, all of the Iberian Penisula outside of Pelagius domain has fallen under Arab control which pushes Eurico to continue his fight to liberate it. He is forced to leave his beloved behind and never see her again, while she goes mad with grief. Though Pelagius has established the Kingdom of Asturias which begins the process of Reconquista, it will take many centuries and none of them will live to see it completed]].

* TheDreaded: Some of the most superstitious Muslims come to see the Black Knight as the Iblis, i.e. the ''literal Devil in human form''.

* WarriorPoet: Eurico is just as capable of reciting and composing poems and hymns as he is to smash his enemies' skulls.
* VillainousCrush: Abdulaziz for Hermengarda. Though he is initially taken by her looks, he decides to marry her after finding out she is Pelagius' sister since that would mean his domain would be submissive to him through their union.

* TheScourgeOfGod: Some Visigoths perceive the Arab invasion as an act of God punishing them for allowing corruption and inequity to run rampant over their kingdom.

* ForeignCadreOfBodyguards: The Arabs employ warriors from Sudan as guardsmen.