Literature / The Lord of Bembibre

One afternoon in May of one of the earliest years of the fourteenth century, three men, presumably the servants of some of the great lords who at that time shared the dominion of El Bierzo, were returning from the fair of San Marcos in Cacabelos.

The Lord of Bembibre (Spanish:El Señor of Bembibre) by Enrique Gil y Carrasco is a Spanish historical novel published in 1844 and set in the early years of the fourteenth century. The novel, wherein the story of a doomed love is entwined with the fall of the Order of the Temple, is generally regarded as the best of its genre in the Spanish Romantic period; and remembered -among other things- for the elaborate and beautiful descriptions of the landscapes of Gil y Carrasco's homeland, El Bierzo (located in the Northwest Spain).

Álvaro Yáñez, the Lord of Bembibre, and Beatriz Ossorio have been unofficially betrothed to each other since they were young. Alonso Ossorio, Lord of Arganza, was in favor of marrying his daughter to the nephew of one master of the influential Order of the Temple...until the King of France sets out to destroy the Order and rob their wealth. Suddenly, developing ties with the Templars does not seem like such a good idea. Hence, when the Count of Lemos -a powerful noble and protégé of the uncle of the King of Castile- requests the hand of Doña Beatriz in marriage, Don Alonso has few qualms about disregarding his previous pact of marriage with the Templar Master Rodrigo Yáñez, dismissing his daughter's wishes.

Don Alonso's decision, though, is not received quietly. Beatriz, who had been a dutiful daughter until then, would rather be disowned and kicked out of home than accept another husband. And Álvaro is not willing give up on Beatriz either, but he is about to get entangled in the violent conflicts shaking the Kingdom of Castile.

After failing in making off with Beatriz, Don Álvaro is forced to leave El Bierzo and join the royal army besieging the castle of a rebellious Castilian lord. Don Álvaro is wounded and captured by the enemy, but he is believed dead in battle. The news of his "death" leave Beatriz -whose physical and mental health was already suffering due to her father's constant demands and verbal abuse- shattered, to the point she agrees to her mother's dying request and marries the Count of Lemos.

Later, Don Álvaro escapes from the dungeons of the castle of Tordehumos and goes back to El Bierzo, where he learns that has befallen during his absence. Feeling betrayed, Álvaro coldly declares he is going to join the Templars -and he does not particularly care about them having been declared enemies of the state by all Christian kingdoms- to the horror of Beatriz and the joy of the Count of Lemos, who now has an excuse to get rid of his romantic rival permanently.

The last Iberian Templar Knights start gathering in the stronghold of Cornatel to make their last stand against the approaching royal army. A battle is about to begin, and nobody is waiting the incoming bloodbath with greater anticipation and eagerness than the Count of Lemos and the Lord of Bembire.

The novel is in the public domain and can be read in its original language in the Project Gutenberg: link.

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Tropes:

• Abusive Parents: Don Alonso becomes emotionally and verbally abusive to his daughter Beatriz when she refuses an arranged marriage, belittling her for not obeying his orders and threatening to curse her and kick her out of his home if she does not comply with his desires. To his credit, he eventually realizes he should not treat her like that.
• Alliterative Name: Beatriz's mother's name is Blanca de Balboa.
• Ambition Is Evil: When Beatriz states she will never marry a backstabbing, scheming upstart who switched allegiances during the last civil war to profit from both sides, Don Alonso excuses the Count's actions by stating war is an awful affair where people are forced into sadistic choices. Beatriz replies that is true...if you are a power-hungry asshole who is driven by ambition and greed. But if you are driven by honor and decency, your path is hard but clear.
  Don Alonso: "My daughter, in times of civil strife, it is not easy to walk without falling, because the road is full of obstacles and pitfalls."
  Beatriz: "Yes, the path of ambition is strewn with difficulties and stumbling blocks, but the path of honour and chivalry is as smooth and gentle as a meadow. The Count of Lemos is certainly powerful, but although I know of many who fear and hate him, I have not yet heard of one who loves and esteems him."
• And Man Grew Proud: When Don Álvaro gloats that the Templars are too powerful to be defeated, the Abbot of Carracedo shows him the ruins of an erstwhile opulent Roman city and suggests him to go out and ask those crumbled stones what happened to the great, powerful and arrogant Roman Empire.
• Aristocrats Are Evil:
  • Played straight with the Count of Lemos Don Pedro Fernández de Castro, a vicious and cruel man who, driven by unbridled ambition and greed, became owner of a chunk of Galicia by backstabbing everyone. Beatriz remarks that he is feared, hated and despised by many -specially peasants-, but he is loved by nobody.
  • Averted with Álvaro y Beatriz, who earned their servants' love and loyalty by treating them decently.
• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: When Nuño agrees to carry a letter from Doña Beatriz to Don Álvaro, the old huntsman states that should Don Alonso find out about it, he will be whipped, put in the pillory, and worst of all, kicked out of the house.
  Nuño: "if your father the master comes to know of this, he will send me for whipping and have me put in the pillory and throw me out of the house, which is the worst thing that could happen to me."
• Babies Ever After: The final scene reveals that Millán and Martina had one daughter whom they named after the latter's mistress.
• Beware the Nice Ones: As arguing their lord's plans to force his daughter Beatriz into an arranged marriage, Mendo insists Beatriz will not oppose her father's wishes because she is too kind, quiet and humble to refuse. Nuño replies that Beatriz has played the part of a dutiful daughter so far because her father had not asked her to do something she found loathsome or amoral; but if he tries to force her or mistreat her, no one will be able to bend her will or deal with her temper.
  "It is true that our master has not committed his word or made a pledge, as I understand the matter. But in that case, he should not have welcomed Don Álvaro as if he were to be his son-in-law and allow his daughter to associate with a person who has captivated the whole world by his behaviour and gallantry, and that a maiden of such discretion and beauty as Doña Beatriz was bound to fall in love with."
  "Well, if she fell in love, let her fall out of love again," replied the stubborn groom, Mendo. "And besides, she will cease to love him as soon as her father raises his voice, because she is as humble as the earth, and as affectionate as an angel, the poor girl."
  "You are very misguided in your judgments," answered Nuño the huntsman, "I know her better than you do because I have known her from birth. And although Doña Beatriz will give her life for a good cause, if they force her will and treat her badly, only God will be able to cope with her."
• Big Bad: The Count of Lemos seeks to marry Beatriz to increase his lands, power and influence, and is yearning for an excuse to get rid of Álvaro.
• Bookends: The first scene of the story features Nuño García, Millan Rodríguez -Don Álvaro's gamekeeper and squire, respectively- and Mendo -Don Alonso's servant- discussing Don Álvaro and Doña Beatriz's ill-fated romance. The final scene features Nuño, Millán and Martina del Valle -Doña Beatriz's handmaiden- visiting Don Álvaro's grave and discussing their masters' ill-fated romance.
• Blatant Lies: None of Don Alonso's servants believes his claims that his daughter Beatriz is leaving for the convent of Villabuena because she owes her aunt a visit. Everybody knows he is banishing Beatriz to punish her for refusing an arranged marriage, no matter how much he claims otherwise.
• Child Marriage Veto: When Don Alonso tells his daughter he has decided to engage her to the Count of Lemos, Beatriz replies she refuses to marry a backstabbing, power-hungry asshole.
  Don Alonso: "I want to tell you now, that a situation has come about that may see my efforts rewarded and crown my most ardent desires. The Count of Lemos, lord most noble and powerful of Galicia, favoured by the King and especially by the Infante Don Juan, has requested your hand in marriage and I have granted it."
  Doña Beatriz: "Is that count not the same who, after having obtained from the noble Queen Doña María the town of Monforte in Galicia, abandoned her banners to join those of the Infante Don Juan?"
  Don Alonso: (displeased) "The same,[...]and what do you have to say about him?"
  Beatriz: "That it is impossible for my father to give me as husband a man whom I could neither love nor even respect."
• Christianity is Catholic: All characters are Catholic, with no mention of Ortodox Christians, even though some of them spent time living in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Levante.
• Conflicting Loyalty: Beatriz is torn between loyalty to her father Alonso -who wants her to marry the amoral Count of Lemos- and her lover Álvaro, feeling reluctant to disobey her father but flatly and stubbornly refusing to accept any other man as her husband.
• Dead Guy Junior: Millán and Martina name their firstborn daughter, Beatriz, after Martina's dear and deceased lady.
• Disappeared Dad: Don Álvaro's father died when he was a little kid.
• Downer Ending: Beatriz dies from sickness, and in his grief, her lover Álvaro gives away his properties, leaves his homeland and lives like a hermit monk till his death. Meanwhile, the Order of the Temple, of which he was a proud member, is persecuted until its utter destruction and disbanded, guaranteeing their members will be regarded as a den of bloodthirsty, superstitious fanatics by future generations.
• End of an Age: The story happens during the fall of the Templars. At the end, the King of France has destroyed the Order and seized their money, and the Templars have been disbanded.
• Enemy Mine: Don Álvaro considers allying himself with the mayor of Cornatel, who also hates the Count of Lemos, and even a chief of bandits and outlaws called the Blacksmith.
• Face Death with Dignity: As she is dying from sickness, Beatriz remains calm and even glad, requesting her family to not get sad or upset. After all, she is marrying her lover at last; and as much as she is concerned, she is going to Heaven, where she will not have to put up with her awful first husband who got forced on her.
• Fair-Weather Friend: Count of Lemos joined Queen María during the preceding Castilian civil war, was rewarded with lands for his support, and abandoned her to join her enemies when he realized who was obviously going to win the war.
• Faux Affably Evil: The evil Count of Lemos is unfailingly polite and soft-spoken, even when he is torturing his victims. At one point, Beatriz notes his politeness rings hollow and artificial precisely because it is so meticulously calculated and carefully calibrated.
• Feudal Overlord:
  • Don Pedro Fernández de Castro, the Count of Lemos, lords over a large swathe of Spanish land thanks to his skillful scheming and backstabbing which won him the favor of the Infante Don Juan (uncle of King Ferdinand IV of Castile). A ruthless and ambitious man who is accustomed to always getting his way and getting away with everything, he is feared and despised by everyone.
  • Don Álvaro Yáñez, the Lord of Bembibre, is a hidalgo (meaning lower nobility) and a benevolent example. He is popular among the peasants living in his lands because he treats them as people, and he is liked by his servants. Álvaro proves that their loyalty was not misplaced when he distributes his lands and money to his vassals when he renounces his titles before leaving Spain.
• God Before Dogma: When Don Álvaro makes an appeal to be absolved of his vows taken when he joined the Order of the Temple, the bishops at the council of Salamanca are inclined to grant his request, since he joined the Order out of pain and spite; but the Pope's inquisitor, Aymerico, refuses to nullity them, insisting that Don Álvaro pronounced his vows voluntarily. The narrator then points out Aymerico is merely spouting excuses, since the bishops are trying to respect the Law's spirit, whereas he is driven by dogmatism and politics (being influenced by the Infante Don Juan, who hated Don Álvaro, and the Pope, who had been ordered to screw the Templars up by the King of France).
  This explanation, like many others which are based on a petty and sanctimonious interpretation of the law, was much more scholastic and theological than charitable and benevolent.
• Grave-Marking Scene: In the final scene, Nuño, Millán and Martina visit their master's grave, reminisce about Don Álvaro and mourn his death.
• The High Middle Ages: The novel is set during the fall of the Order of the Temple, at the beginning of the XIV century.
• Historical Domain Character: A lot of important and influential rulers of the early fourteenth century are featured or mentioned: Infante John of Castile, Lord of Valencia de Campos -and one of the personal enemies of Don Álvaro-, his nephew King Ferdinand IV of Castile, King James I of Aragon, King Philip the IV Fair of France, Pope Clement V...
• Honor Before Reason: Don Álvaro's uncle suggests him to ask the Abbot of Carracedo to talk Don Alonso out of forcing his daughter into an arranged marriage. Nonetheless, the abbot hates the Templars and will only help Álvaro if he leaves the Order...which Álvaro utterly refuses to, since he will not abandon who helped and befriended him, and Beatriz would not want him to, either. Later, Beatriz confirms she indeed does not want her ex-fiancé to give up his principles whenever it becomes "convenient".
  Álvaro: "Your heart is blind, for you do not see that Doña Beatriz would be the first to despise one who gave such a bad account of his honour; happiness is always less than honour. How do you expect me to abandon my good uncle and his brothers in their hour of need?"
• How the Mighty Have Fallen: During a tense discussion with the Abbot of Carracedo, Don Álvaro smugly gloats that obliterating the Templar Knights' fortress is an undertaking beyond of their enemies' forces. Annoyed, the abbot leads him to a window and shows him a heap of ruins upon a nearby hill— Bergidum, which was one of the most important and wealthiest cities in the Spanish Northwest during the Roman occupation, ten centuries ago. Mercilessly the abbot points out that the Romans were powerful and arrogant, right like the Templars, and even so their mighty empire fell and was destroyed.
  "Take a good look," said the monk, "take a good look at one of the great and many sepulchres enclosing the skeletons of that town of giants. They, too, in their pride and injustice turned against God, as your Templars have done. Go therefore, as I have gone amid the silence of the night, and ask these ruins about the greatness of their lords. The whistling of the wind and the howling of the wolf will not fail to give you an answer."
• King Incognito: Don Alvaro disguises himself as a random commoner to sneak into the church of the convent of Villabuena and talk to Beatriz.
• Knight in Shining Armor: Don Álvaro, the titular lord of Bembibre, is a Templar Knight. He strives for behaving honorably -even when it causes him personal suffering-, being loyal to God, faithful to his lady and kind to his servants.
• Medieval Morons: Played with. The narrator states the rumors about the Templar Knights being heretics and sorcerers were believed by the 14th century peasants because medieval people were obviously superstitious, ignorant and gullible. Nonetheless, both aristocrats and commoners are shown to be perfectly capable of using logic and common sense, and educated characters don't believe the charges of witchcraft. The Abbot of Carracedo bluntly tells his enmity towards the Templars is not based on rumors of them being sorcerers, since he dismisses such tales as nonsense, but he considers the stories of them being arrogant and despicable moneylenders absolutely credible.
• Missing Mom: The mother of Don Álvaro died when he was a little kid. Likewise, Beatriz's mother Doña Blanca passes away during the story.
• The Mourning After: After his wife's death, Don Álvaro goes briefly crazy. After his squire helps him regain his sanity, he relinquishes his title and his lands, divides his remainder properties among his servants and vassals, and enters a remote monastery as a monk.
• My God, What Have I Done?: His wife's death and his daughter's unhappiness and failing health finally clue Don Alonso in on the fact that his daughter is dying because he has been an utterly terrible father.
• My Master, Right or Wrong: Subverted. All of Don Alonso's servants criticize his decision to break up his daughter and her fiancé Álvaro's engagement to marry Beatriz to the awful Count of Lemos...all of them except Don Alonso's horse-groomer Mendo, who fervently supports his lord's actions. However, Mendo is driven by pragmatism rather than loyalty: he thinks that his employer developing ties to a powerful count instead of a mere hidalgo like Don Álvaro will benefit him.
• Nephewism: Rodrigo Yáñez has taken care of his nephew Álvaro since he was a little kid.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Don Alonso wanted to marry his daughter Beatriz to Don Álvaro as soon as they reached marrigeable age; but his wife Blanca asked him to wait some time before making their engagement official, since she wanted to give Beatriz the opportunity to know Don Álvaro and turn him down should she dislike him. So, Álvaro and Beatriz grow up together and fall for each other, but instead of formalizing their relationship, Don Alonso decides Don Álvaro has become a politically undesirable son-in-law of late, and he would be better off by engaging Beatriz to a more powerful lord...whom Beatriz cannot stand. As her husband and her daughter quarrel, Doña Blanca cannot get over the fact that her good intentions have brought the latter unhappiness.
• Nice to the Waiter:
  • Don Álvaro risking his neck to save his squire's life earned him Millán's fervent loyalty. Later, when he decides to reliquish his title and leave his homeland after his wife's death, Álvaro makes sure that his servants will be well off by dividing his lands and properties between them.
  • Doña Beatriz is loved by her father's servants because she treats them with respect and kindness.
  • In contrast with them, the evil and power-hungry Count of Lemos regards his servants, peasants and even lower nobility as Don Álvaro with contempt.
• Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: The Spanish kings and lords claim to want to destroy the Templars in order to punish their corruption and greed as dreaming about taking over the Order's wealth and lands.
• Official Couple: After going through many hardships, Don Álvaro and Doña Beatriz Ossorio get married shortly before her sickness takes her away.
• Outliving One's Offspring: Don Alonso outlives his daughter when Beatriz dies from illness. However, his advanced age, the depths of his grief, and the certainty that she would probably be still alive if he had not her coerced into marrying an awful suitor, ensure that he also passes away before long.
  Don Alonso, the Lord of Arganza, for his part, survived the passing of his beloved and unhappy daughter only for a short time, as might be expected from his age and his deep affliction. With his death, that illustrious house was extinguished, and its property passed to very distant relatives.
• Rags to Riches: Don Álvaro decides to give up his lordship and leave Spain after his wife's death. Before going away, though, he divides his possessions and lands between his servants, who become very rich despite being commoners thanks to his largesse.
• Real Men Love Jesus: Being a knight of the Order of the Temple who has taken part in several war campaigns and survived, Don Álvaro is a seasoned warrior, an actually decent lord, and a very devout Christian.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
  • After their fruitless conversation, Don Álvaro tells the abbot of Carracedo: "You are a witness that you have shut all the ways of peaceful resolution. May it please God that you should not one day blame yourself for it!". And, indeed, the abbot would come to regret his decision before long.
  • After performing last rites for Doña Blanca and reluctantly marrying Doña Beatriz to the count, the abbot of Carracedo blames Don Alonso for his wife and his daughter's misfortunes and foretells the ruin of his House, brought about by his own stupidity and rigidity.
    Abbot: "Poor and angelic lady, your blind solicitude and extreme tenderness have wrought the misfortune of your only daughter. Peace be upon your remains! But you, you have wounded the tree at the root! And its branches will not shelter your house, nor will you sit in its shade, nor will you see its branches green with leaves and flowering with blossom. Loneliness will surround you in the hour of your death, and the dreams that now fascinate you will be your most painful torments."
• Riches to Rags: After Doña Beatriz's death, Don Álvaro relinquishes his title and his lands, divides his wealth among his servants and vassals, and enters a convent as an anonymous, simple monk.
• Rebellious Princess: Beatriz was a quite dutiful daughter until her father attempted to force her into an arranged marriage which she did not want.
• Scenery Porn: The gorgeous forests and picturesque mountains of the Spanish region of El Bierzo -where the author was born- are lavishly and vividly described; to the point some people who had never previously heard of that territory decided to visit it after reading the novel.
  The lake had regained the verdure along its contours and the serenity of its waters. The trees on the shore, once again covered with leaves, provided shelter for countless nightingales, wood pigeons and turtle doves that filled the air with songs and cooing. The murky torrents of winter had become clear babbling streams. The mild and benign winds brought from the mountains the aromas of wild roses and broom in flower. The wild ducks and moorhens fluttered over the clumps of reeds and bulrushes where they made their nests, and the sky itself, hitherto overcast and scowling, began to streak its blue with those lightly coloured clouds that in the spring adorn the horizon as the sun rises and sets.
  Mount Aquiana had lost its resplendent crown of snow, and only a few spots of ice remained in the darker recesses of the rocks, forming a colourful mosaic on the mountainside. Finally, the whole of nature was so beautiful and gallant, as if it awakened from the sleep of death to a green and enduring life.
• Star-Crossed Lovers: Don Álvaro and Doña beatriz loved each other, and they were unofficially engaged until Beatriz's father decides Don Álvaro has become an undesireable son-in-law and breaks off their compromise to get his daughter in an arranged marriage to a powerful and unscrupulous aristocrat whom Beatriz openly hates.
• A Storm Is Coming: As considering the actions taken by the King of France against the Templars, main character Don Álvaro ruminates that "a storm seems to be forming against the Order", to the point he doubts their continued existence.
• Turncoat: During the preceding war, the Count of Lemos betrayed the Queen María to join the Infante Don Juan when he realized what side was clearly going to lose.
• Undying Loyalty: Don Álvaro earned his squire's absolute loyalty and devotion when he risked his life to save Millán from drowning in a river.
• Ungrateful Bastard: As talking with the main character about the persecution the Templars are being subjected to by King Philip IV of France, Commander Saldaña bitterly states this is clearly their reward by saving his life from a mob.
• What You Are in the Dark: Don Álvaro and his squire were riding down a bridge during a storm when Millán and his horse fell into the wild waters below. Nobody else was around, and nobody would blame Álvaro for not risking his life to save a servant. Still, Álvaro threw himself and his horse into the river, and dragged Millán out of there.
• The X of Y: The Lord of Bembibre.

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