Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – “Los libros de caballerías”

Host: Nieves Concostrina | Co-Host: Carlas | Date: November 21, 2022
Episode Theme:
A witty, engaging exploration of the rise and fall of chivalric novels (“libros de caballerías”) with Nieves Concostrina’s distinctive historical perspective. The episode unpacks why these books were beloved — and controversial — how they shaped society, who really read them, and the myth that Cervantes’ Don Quijote singlehandedly ended their popularity.

Main Discussion Points

1. Setting the Stage: The Chivalric Novel Craze

• Nieves opens with her signature irreverence, swearing that the topic is “menos peñazo de lo que parece” (not as boring as it sounds).

• The common belief: El Quijote by Cervantes “gave the coup de grâce” to these novels, but they were already in decline when he wrote his parody ([01:01]).

• Books of chivalry were criticized by moral guardians who feared popular fiction was distracting from “lecturas piadosas” (pious readings), especially for women.

  Notable Quote:

  “La Biblia es mucho más fantástica y mucho más loca que cualquier libro de caballerías… Está escrita con los pies, pero es divertida.”
  —Nieves Concostrina ([01:13])

2. Moral Panic and Historical Anecdotes

• The fear wasn’t new: Stories circulated of young readers going mad, such as a student in Salamanca found “peleándose a espadazos con un enemigo imaginario” ([02:13]).

• Another tale: An otherwise sensible caballero imitates “la locura de Orlando,” running naked through his town, attacking peasants and donkeys ([02:35]).

• Nieves draws a modern analogy:

  “Coño, también los británicos hacen balcony y será porque han visto Superman. Pero la culpa no es de Superman, es de ellos.”
  —Nieves Concostrina ([02:48])

3. Women, Literacy, and Literary Obsession

• Access to chivalric books was scarce for women, given widespread illiteracy, especially in rural areas ([03:50]).

• However, “las que sabían, devoraban y retuiteaban”—those who could read, shared stories with others ([03:58]).

• Teresa de Jesús: As a child, hid her voracious reading (both saints’ lives and chivalric tales) from her father. In a Quixotesque episode, Teresa convinced her brother to run away seeking martyrdom, blending saints’ adventures with caballería ([04:52]).

  Notable Quote:

  “Teresa y su hermano iban en plan Don Quijote y Sancho. Pero la verdad es que lo hicieron mucho antes de que naciera Cervantes.”
  —Nieves Concostrina ([05:36])

4. Origins, Boom, and Bust of Chivalric Novels

• Origins in medieval tales—King Arthur, the Grail—began in the 12th century, mixing legend and fantasy that spread across northern Europe ([05:47]).

• Structural satire: All titles followed the formula “Name of knight + homeland.” Examples: Amadís de Gaula, Belanís de Grecia, Don Quijote de la Mancha ([07:06]).

• Tirant lo Blanc was actually published in Spain a decade before Amadís de Gaula, but in Valencian. Cervantes mistakenly credits Amadís as the first ([08:00]).

  Notable Quote:

  “Amadís de Gaula es el primero y tal. Pero no, se coló... Cuando Amadís de Gaula se pudo leer en España ya existía aquí desde hacía diez años Tirante el Blanco. Lo que pasa es que estaba editado en valenciano.”
  —Nieves Concostrina ([08:02])

• At Cervantes' time, as many as 1,100 different chivalric titles circulated ([08:26]).

• Authorities tried to ban or disparage them, labeling them “libros de bellaquería,” believing them to corrupt the soul and offend God ([08:42]).

• These novels marked the birth of literature as entertainment in Spain, distinct from religious or legal texts.

5. The Social Impact and Spread of Reading

• Before, only religious or legal texts were available; chivalric novels offered adventurous escapism ([09:52]).
• The invention of the printing press (“imprenta”) increased availability; books were read aloud in inns, during journeys, and at home ([10:14]).
• Some believed the novels’ stories as historical truth, because all printed works sanctioned by authorities had “veracity” in the public mind ([10:55]).
• Nieves draws a mischievous parallel: If the fantastical Bible stories were considered true, why not those of knights-errant?

6. The Extra Scandal: Women as Avid Readers

• Guardians of morals especially resented women’s enthusiasm; noble women read them secretly, obsessed with the dashing knights ([11:19]).

• Male anxieties: “No les hacía ni pizca de gracia que las mujeres también estuvieran al tanto de lo valientes y lo guapos que eran los caballeros andantes.” ([11:34])

• In the end, chivalric novels weren’t suppressed—they simply fell out of fashion:

  “Cuando Cervantes dio el tiro de gracia a las novelas de caballerías... ya estaban agonizando, ya habían pasado de moda. DQ [...] solo puso el punto final, pero yo creo que no pudo haber un punto final más magistral.”
  —Nieves Concostrina ([12:40])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nieves on Literature vs. Piety:

  “Todo lo que fuera entretenimiento a estos guardianes de la moral siempre les parece mal. [...] Los libros de caballerías fueron el principio de la lectura, como entretenimiento puro y duro.”
  ([08:52])

• On Genre’s Formulaic Titles:

  “Todos los títulos siguen un patrón clarísimo.”
  ([07:14])

• Jab at Official Censorship:

  “Decían que eran dañinos para el alma, despertadores de torpeza, de pecado y de ofensa a Dios. Lo de siempre."
  ([08:51])

• On Women Readers:

  "Las mujeres se volcaron especialmente en los libros de caballería. Se volvían locas con los protagonistas..."
  ([11:26])

Key Timestamps

• [01:01] — El Quijote and the (mythical) end of chivalric novels.
• [02:13] — Anecdote: Student caught sword-fighting imaginary enemies.
• [03:50] — Women and literacy in 16th-century Spain.
• [04:52] — Young Teresa de Jesús: A proto-Quixote adventure.
• [05:47] — Origins of the chivalric genre (King Arthur and the Grail).
• [07:06] — Satirical naming conventions in the genre.
• [08:26] — 1,100 titles in circulation; censorship attempts.
• [09:52] — Printing press revolutionizes reading habits.
• [10:55] — Belief in the historicity of chivalric tales.
• [11:19] — Moral panic over women reading for entertainment.
• [12:40] — Cervantes delivers the genre’s “final blow,” but it was already dying.

Overall Tone & Final Thoughts

With her trademark sarcasm and vivid storytelling, Nieves Concostrina debunks myths about chivalric novels, showing them as more than escapist fiction — they were a literary revolution that thrilled everyone, especially women, and survived despite official disapproval. Cervantes’ Don Quijote didn’t kill the genre; it gave it a magnificently ironic epitaph. This is history as delightful gossip: incisive, irreverent, and irresistibly fun.