Amadisof Gaul

Amadis of Gaul, known as "The Knight of the Lion," a legendary hero of chivalry, who plays the same part in the romantic history of Spain as Arthur in that of England and Charlemagne in that of France. He was said to be the son of Perion, an imaginary French king. Esplandian was his son, and Florisando his nephew. It is impossible to assign a date to his career, which is, perhaps, a mere reflection of the myth of Arthur. His story was first told in Spanish literary prose by Garci Ordonnez de Montalvo, a Portuguese, towards the beginning of the 15th century, and the scene is laid in Scotland. Lobeira is generally regarded as being the author of the four books containing the original narrative, but they have been assigned to Cervantes. Nine other books in Spanish were soon added, and eleven more in French carried on the tale. The exploits of many other personages bearing the same name are recounted in these supplementary pages, and throughout the Middle Ages Amadis supplied a theme for imaginative writers. Southey published a condensed translation of the early romance.