Palmerines

The Palmerines constitute, along with the Amadises, one of the most important series within the chivalric romance genre. This series includes works such as Palmerín de Oliva, Primaleon, Platir and Palmerín de Inglaterra.

The Spanish-Portuguese cycle

The Palmerines cycle had eight members in Spain and Portugal, the first three written in Spanish and the rest in Portuguese:

1. The first book of the cycle was Palmerín de Oliva (Olivia according to the first edition, published in Salamanca, 1511), inspired by the Amadís de Gaula. The work, which in some editions is attributed to Francisco Vázquez, refers in 176 chapters the exploits of Palmerin de Oliva and his love with Polinarda, daughter of the emperor of Germany. The plot is similar to that of Amadís and Oriana, although it also contains many original episodes. The style is inferior to that of your model, although not without merit and some of your pages can be read with pleasure.
2. The second was the Primale (Salamanca, 1512), which narrates in 217 chapters the adventures of Primaleon and of Don Duardos, prince of England. From this book, which in some editions is attributed to Francisco Vázquez, derives the dramatic piece Don Duardos of Gil Vicente and another of Paravicino, Gridonia or avenged love sky.
3. He followed after. Platinum (Valladolid, 1533), the work of Francisco de Enciso Zárate, in which the adventures of the youngest son of Primaleon and his Greek wife are related in 82 chapters.
4. The fourth book, Palmerin of England (Toledo, 1547), is a translation of a Portuguese work of the same title that was printed twenty years later in Évora, and composed by Francisco de Moraes. In this work the adventures of Palmerin of England and his twin brother Floriano del Desierto, sons of Don Duardos of England and his wife Flérida, daughter of Palmerin de Oliva and Polinarda, are related in 101 chapters. This work, together with the following, is the one that some consider the best book of the series, praised by Miguel de Cervantes, in the scrutiny of the library of Don Quixote.
5. The fifth book of the Iberian cycle was the second part Palmerin of England (Toledo, 1548), from Francisco de Moraes himself, narrates in 66 chapters new adventures of Palmerín and Floriano.
6. The sixth book of the Iberian cycle, also divided into two parts, the first of 95 chapters and the second of 46, was Duardos de Brittanywritten in Portuguese by Diogo Fernandes and published for the first time in Lisbon in 1587.
7. The last printed book of the cycle, also divided into two parts, the first of 97 chapters and the second of 64, was Clarisol of Britainwritten in Portuguese by Baltasar Gonsalves Lobato and published for the first time in Lisbon in 1602.
8. It was unpublished. Chronicle of Don Duardos de Brittany, divided into three parts (the first of 80 chapters, the second of 86 and the third of 35). and written in Portuguese by Gonzalo Coutinho.

The Italian cycle

The Palmerines were very popular and were translated or re-translated from other languages into French, English and Italian.

In Italian the Palmerín de Oliva (Venice, 1544), the Primaleon (Venice, 1548), Platir (Venice, 1548), and the first two parts of Palmerín de Inglaterra (Venice, 1553 and 1554); all these works were reprinted on several occasions. In addition to the translations, the cycle continued with a series of continuations:

1.- Flortir, continuation of Platir, written by Mambrino Roseo (1554); It refers in 143 chapters to the exploits of Flortir, son of Platir and his wife Florinda.

2.- The Third Book of Palmerín of England (Il terzo libro de i valorosi cavallieri Palmerino d'Inghiltierra, e Floriano suo fratello) (1559) by Mambrino Roseo. It is a 90-episode continuation of Palmerín de Inglaterra.

3.- The Segundo libro de Palmerín de Oliva, by Mambrino Roseo (1560), whose action is sandwiched between the Palmerín de Oliva and the Primaleon . It has 60 chapters in which new adventures of Palmerín de Oliva and other gentlemen are recounted.

4.- The fourth part of the book of Primaleón (Darineo of Greece), by Mambrino Roseo (1560), in which the adventures are recounted in 73 chapters from Darineo of Greece, eldest son of Primaleon and his wife Gridonia.

5.- The Second part of Platir, by Mambrino Roseo (1560), a continuation of Darineo de Grecia, which recounts the adventures of Darnandro, son of Darineo. It has 86 chapters.

6.- The second book of Flortir, by Mambrino Roseo (1560). It has 131 chapters and it continues the action of the Second part of Platir. It is the most extensive work of all the fifteen books of the Palmerines cycle.

7.- Polendos, by Pietro Lauro (1566), continuation of Primaleon, which narrates in 101 chapters the adventures of Polendos, son of Palmerín de Oliva and the Queen of Tarsi, and of Pompides, son of Prince Don Duardos of England and of Argonida.