May Spanish Legend

 

Times were turbulent in Aragon. Disputes were frequent between kings and princes. The village people were defenceless against the nobles´ misbehaviour.

One day the gypsy called Estrella was accused of having cast a spell on a son of the nobleman Lope Artal. Because of this, she was condemned to die at the stake.   

The pleadings of her daughter Azucena were useless and her mind was full of revenge.

Desperation tore at Azucena. She slipped into the palace and because evil was always on the lurk, she went into the rooms where the nobleman´s children were sleeping. Azucena snached one of them from his cradle, wrapped him in her apron and fled. He was only a baby. When the execution came, Azucena picked the child up and went to the square. She threw the baby mercilessly onto the same pyre where her mother was burning.   

In search of consolation, she ran home to hold her son in her arms. She only wanted to forget that fateful day. However, when holding the baby in her arms, she realized, terrified, that the baby she had thrown onto the fire was her own son.

Azucena felt the agony of so much torment and she decided from that moment on, that the baby would be her son, Manrique.

Meanwhile, at the palace, they were desperately searching for the child. But they never found him.

The years passed and Azucena, turned Manrique into a man. She fed him, taught him and made him a courageous young man who dominated the art of war, but also that of music and poetry.

One day, the sovereign decided to summon a tournament at the palace of the Aljaferia, in which young men from his kingdom would compete.

 

 THE TROUBADOUR OF THE ALJAFERIA

Manrique, the troubadour, decided to take part and his opponent was Antonio Lope´s son and his political adversary.

After a hard contest, Manrique beat Antonio. Full of satisfaction, he went to collect his trophy. Then, he saw the most beautiful girl he could ever imagine. She was Leonor Sese de Urrea. Love immediately arose between the two youngsters. Antonio Artal was also passionately in love with the young woman and he was closely watching all their movements. Hence, Antonio made it known to Guillen, Leonor´s brother, what was happening. The Sese family could not allow the unión between the noblewoman and the commoner and Leonor would be forced to enter a convent.

When Manrique knew of Leonor´s destiny, he went to rescue her and at the Fortress of El Castellar, they found a cover in which to live their story of love.

The young couple´s happiness lasted very little. Antonio and Guillen found them.

Manrique was arrested and taken to the tower of the Aljaferia. He was accused and Leonor was taken to the convent again. The young troubadour was condemned to death.

Manrique was executed, Leonor looked for a way to leave this world, Antonio saw on Manrique´s back the birthmark of all the members of his family and he was unable to live with that torment…