Feudal Relations in the Poema de mio Cid: Comparative Perspectives in Medieval Spanish and French Epic

Among the numerous effects of the Muslim intervention on Spanish history, one of the most significant was the lack of development of the feudal system in much of the Peninsula, especially in Castile. Unlike France, whose monarch was a mystical figure with curative powers, the Castilian monarch was considered the first among peers —a warrior king. The six chapters of this study contrast the literary representations of feudal relations in the Spanish and French epic traditions. Chapter One presents the phenomenology of king-vassal relations in the Poema de mio Cid and considers the structural patterns and significant scenes the poet employs to portray Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar as the consummate Castilian hero because of his unwavering fidelity to King Alfonso VI. A very different attitude characterizes the treatment of feudal relations in the Chanson de Roland, the subject of Chapter Two, which chronicles the earliest stage of French epic, when the monarch's warriors revered him for his sanctity and utter devotion to his vassals. As we see in Chapter Three, the William Cycle shows a marked change in attitude. The French monarch - now portrayed as feeble and indecisive - retains the throne only because of William of Orange's constant vigilance against plotting nobles. Unlike Castile, where the monarchy was strong in the face of intense Muslim aggression, the French monarchy was weakened by mighty nobles whose personal power went unchecked. Chapter Four, which establishes the context of the literary representation of the Cid as a lord, considers various understandings of the term "feudalism" and explains why it failed to develop in Castile. The decadent stage of epic, represented by the Cycle of Doon de Mayence and the Mocedades de Rodriao. is explored in Chapter Five. In this final epic phase, the French king must endure severe attacks by nobles, who demand fiefs and greater autonomy. The Cid of the Mocedades. while brash, remains devoted to the Castilian monarch. Chapter Six demonstrates that throughout the Spanish epic tradition, the Cid manifests unwavering fidelity to his king and never betrays him, unlike his French counterparts.