Page:Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical setting (IA cu31924026512263).pdf/133

 gave the hand of his daughter to the hero and publicly announced him successor to the imperial throne. But in neither case was the marriage consummated. Guy's perilous mission as ambassador to the sultan is reëchoed in Tirant lo Blanch, but the scene takes place in Barbary. Tirant went to King Scariano as ambassador of the King of Tremicen, refused to salute him, for they were enemies, and harshly rebuked him for making war against the King of Tremicen. So he issued a challenge that if any of Scariano's knights should dare to say that the war was just, he, the ambassador of the King of Tremicen, would be pleased to maintain the contrary and engage in mortal combat with that knight.

From the resemblances just pointed out, are we not justified in challenging the statement that Tirant lo Blanch represents Roger de Flor? Tirant's activities at Constantinople constitute the most important part of his career, and this part is said to be based on the Catalan-Aragonese expedition to Constantinople under the leadership of that famous Catalan hero. Let us examine closely the part of Muntaner's Chronica which treats of Roger de Flor and his expedition, in order that we may see how closely Martorell followed the facts connected with that glorious page in Catalan history.