Treacherous foundations

"This book, the first sustained study of the theme of treachery in the founding myths of the Iberian Peninsula, considers literary versions, in epic, chronicle, and theatre, of the legends of Fernau Gonzalez, Bernardo del Carpio, and King Sancho II, from both medieval and early modern Spain, with a view to comparing the representation of treachery across two historical periods. It explores some of the ideological tensions inherent in the process of collective identity formation (mainly nationhood and the monarchical state) in the thirteenth and late sixteenth centuries, two crucial historical junctures for Spain. The theme of treachery is expanded to cover all aspects of treason and political disloyalty and, engaging with loyalty, trust, and the nature of kingship, the author illuminates aspects of Spanish cultural and political history. Consideration of the promotion of unity through the foundational reconstruction of the treacherous act provides insight into the nature of myth and collective memory, historical change and the collective response to crisis."--BOOK JACKET.