Quentin Durward

Quentin Durward is a Historical novel writes by Sir Walter Scott in 1823. He tells the history of a Scottish archer with the service of the king of France Louis XI. The first edition was published in three volumes.

Introduction

This romantic novel describes the life of a Scottish mercenary under the reign of Louis XI. The hero is a young Scot whose family was massacred by a rival family. Constrained to take the dress monacal not to be put at death, he flees his country and leaves in France to seek an engagement.

The novel is based on freely worked over again historical facts and offers an exact portrait several historical figures, in particular Charles Bold the, duke of Burgundy and the cardinal Balue. In addition, the novel offers an analysis of the differences enter the Scottish and French cultures.

Intrigue

The intrigue of the novel is centered on the competition between Louis XI and Charles the Bold one, duke of Burgundy. Louis incites the inhabitants of Liege to revolt against their bishop, Louis de Bourbon, combined of Charles. Under the direction of combined of Louis, Guillaume of Marck, the “Wild boar of the Ardennes”, they attack the castle of the bishop, which is assassinated by Marck.

At the time of the murder, Louis is with Charles with Péronne, where it tries to prove his bona fide to him while being placed at his mercy. However, when Charles learns the attack and death from his cousin, he shows Louis to be about it the instigator and imprisons it. The trick of Louis and the direction of the honor of Durward, which refuses to betray it enable him to reduce to nothing these charges, and it regains freedom.

Behind this principal intrigue, the novel tells the history of Isabelle de Croye, countess Burgundian who came to seek refuge at Louis, in order not to marry Campo Basso, for which Charles, his suzerain, intends it. Louis, on his side, decides to give it in marriage with Marck, in order to give to his ally the means of being opposed to the duke Burgundy. With this intention, it makes him believe that it sends it near the prince-bishop of Liege. It is one of the members of its Scottish Garde, the young person Quentin Durward, who is charged to protect it during the voyage. However, Quentin prevents treason and conduit to Liege Isabelle, with which it fell in love.

With Fibula, Charles, who proposed in vain with the duke of Orleans - been engaged with the girl of Louis - the hand of the countess, promises it with that which will bring back the head of Marck for him. Thanks to the assistance of his/her uncle, Ludovic Lesley, Quentin gain the hand of Isabelle.

Characters of Quentin Durward

Quentin Durward – protagonist and archer
Ludovic Lesley – uncle de Durward
Louis XI – king de France
Charles Bold the – duke of Burgundy
Guillaume of Marck – combined of Louis
Isabelle de Croye – Burgundian countess

Adaptations

The novel was adapted in three forms:

a Film: Adventures of Quentin Durward (1955).

a Television series: Quentin Durward (1971).

a novel illustrated, drawn by the Portuguese artist Fernando Bento and published for the first time in the Fifties in a children's paper “Cavaleiro Andante”.