La leyenda de Bernardo del Carpio y el tema carolingio: el testimonio de las crónicas

Abstract

In the chronicle versions of the story of Bernardo del Carpio two types of epic legend have been combined: one Carolingian story which attempts to introduce or graft a Spanish hero into the matter of Charlemagne and Roncevaux, and another story more typical of the peninsular epic genre, with traits such as family honour, secret marriage, vengeance, the rebellious vassal, and other motifs. Unfortunately, none of the variant versions succeeds in making a totally convincing blend of the various elements involved: however, the analysis of their failure teaches us something about the historiographical process and its development in the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries.