Paris and Viana

Paris and Viana

This erotic-chivalric novel was written by an anonymous Catalan and published ca. 1497 in the Barcelona print shop of Diego de Gumiel (active 1494–1517). Originally titled Historia delas amors e vida del cavaller Paris e de Viana filla del dalfi de França, it takes the form of a simple fable of constant and persecuted love set in the familiar context of the Crusades and forced captivity in Palestine. The only surviving copy of the incunabulum, an early printed book predating 1501, is housed in the Biblioteca de Catalunya. The 60-page text, printed in Gothic script, is adorned by floral initials and full-page woodcuts colored with red and gold ink. The work is hardbound with gold engraved leather on the spine and is a beautiful and rare artifact of Spain’s burgeoning literary tradition.

A Carolingian Romance

The tale is set during the reign of the Emperor Charlemagne and is concerned with Paris, a sixteen-year-old who is in love with Viana, the daughter of the Dauphin, a title that did not come into use until the 14th century. To prove his worthiness, Paris wins numerous jousts on her behalf without revealing his identity, but of course she eventually finds out and declares her love for him as well. Her father rejects Paris and plots to kill him so the lovers are forced to run away, but Viana fails to escape and Paris only has a diamond given to him by Viana to remind him of her. While Paris is in exile in Genoa, Viana is arranged to be married to the son of the Duke of Burgundy and is imprisoned by her father when she resists. After a Crusade is called against the Sultan of Babylon, the Dauphin is captured while acting as a spy. Paris poses as a Muslim and frees the Dauphin in exchange for marrying his daughter and becoming heir to his lands.