Between Chastity and the Sword: from the virgo bellatrix to the egregia bellatrix in Late Medieval Chivalric Fiction and in Cristalián de España

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13136/2284-2667/1671

Keywords:

Chivalric books, Cristalián de España, Egregia bellatrix, Poncella de Francia, Short chivalric narrativeç, virgo bellatrix

Abstract

The warrior maiden motif, deeply rooted in world literature, found significant success and resonance in chivalric fiction. This paper examines the evolution of the female warrior archetype from the virgo bellatrix to the egregia bellatrix in the Poncella de Francia and Cristalián de España. Focusing on the characters of the Poncella de Francia and Minerva, it explores the hybridization of the classical Amazon and the warrior maiden, showing how these figures embody both heroic and feminine virtues while integrating fully into chivalric codes without fully challenging patriarchal structures.

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Published

2025-12-19

Issue

No. 13 (2025): Identity and Disguise: The Female Gender in the Romances of Chivalry

Section

Monographic

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Nuria Aranda García

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