Pchelintsev A.А. «How little chivalry you have displayed». The image of the fighting king as an
instrument of dynastic legitimation in the «Chronicle of King Don Pedro and King Don Enrique» by Pedro López de Ayala [Digital Resource] // Vox medii aevi. 2025. Vol. 1 (12). P. 85–126. URL: https://voxmediiaevi.com/2025-1-pchelintsev/
DOI: 10.24412/2587-6619-2025-12-85-126
Andrei Pchelintsev
Independent researcher, Moscow
7442777@gmail.com
«How little chivalry you have displayed». The image of the fighting king as an instrument of dynastic
legitimation in the «Chronicle of King Don Pedro and King Don Enrique» by Pedro López de Ayala
In this article, author examines the process of legitimation of the Trastamara dynasty and role in this process of one of the most famous historical chronicles of the 14th century — “The Chronicle of King Don Pedro and King Don Enrique” which was created by an outstanding politician and a prolific writer, a nobleman and a courtier, a warrior and a ambassador, Grand Chancellor of the kingdom of Castile, Don Pedro Lopez de Ayala who was a participant in the events described in the chronicle. Author examines the connection between the ethical and political concept of dynastic legitimation, created by Ayala in his chronicle with “treatises on chivalry” and medieval political treatises, included to Ayala’s reading circle and dedicated to tyranny and ways to resist it. This research is based on analysis of Ayala’s chronicle text. The most important in Ayala’s narrative are the ideas of tyranomachy and tyrannicide. These ideas are directly related to two models of power — tyrannical and just models, created by Ayala. The confrontation between this models of power is the central
event of the chronicle and an important element in justifying the rights of the new dynasty to the Castilian throne. An important part of the narrative are the strategies of the sovereign’s behavior on the battlefield, which are embodied in images of a righteous sovereign and a cruel tyrant.
Keywords: Henry of Trastámara; John of Salisbury; Juan Manuel; Pedro I the Cruel; Pedro López de Ayala; The Chronicles of Ayala; tyrannicide.