LAS QUINAS DE PORTUGAL

QuinP

REPARTO

I

Brito, a shepherd, runs into Don Alfonso, who is lost in the mountains.  The naive Brito mistakes Alfonso's glove for part of his skin and is amazed at the sight of a diamond ring that Alfonso gives him.  Alfonso enters a cave in a mountain, where he meets Giraldo, an old man who previously served Alfonso's father, Conde Enrique.  Enrique, the son of the Duque de Borgoña, had served Alfonso VI against the Moors, and as a reward the King had given him his daughter Teresa in marriage.  Enrique had become angry with Giraldo, however, and had sent him away.  Giraldo now leads a quiet life of reading and studying.  After telling Alfonso his story, Giraldo recognizes who he is and advises him to devote himself to duty and to forget the temptations of the opposite sex.  Alfonso, in fact, has a lover, Elvira Gualtar, and two daughters, and has not been taking care of his business affairs as he should because of his interest in Elvira.  Giraldo's words impress Alfonso and inspire him to go out and fight the Moors.  He gathers his men together and they set out.

In the meantime Leonor, a Portuguese lady, is resisting Ismael, the Moorish king.  She drops one of her gloves, and he recovers it, refusing to give it back.  He is called away to do battle against Alfonso, however, at this point.  Alfonso and Portuguese rout the Moors in the ensuing confrontation.

II

Don Egas thinks that Alfonso has become too religious, but Don Gonzalo disagrees, reminding him of the story of David and calling Alfonso a "David portugués."  Alfonso, who has had a monastery built, convinces Egas that religion is ultimately their only hope.

Ismael comes to Alfonso and the other Portuguese with Leonor's glove on his sword.  He says that he has killed her father, and now is holding her captive.  He demands a high-ranking Portuguese for each finger of her glove.  Having thrown out his challenge, Ismael tells them to meet him and his armies at the fields of Obrique.

Egas, who loves Leonor, decides to make a plan to free her.  Alfonso has faith that they will win because Christ is on their side.  Egas and Brito, however, decide to dress as Moors and go to where Ismael and Leonor are.  Brito carries a letter (actually written by Egas, who knows Arabic), purporting to be from the King of Cordoba, saying that Egas is a great magician.  Ismael thus enlists Egas's aid in winning Leonor, and Egas is able to whisper to her about their plot.  She pretends to like Ismael more in order to give credence to Egas's claim to be a magician.  Finally Egas asks Ismael to leave him alone with Leonor so that he can persuade her to love Ismael even more.  Ismael does so, and Egas and Leonor, along with Brito, flee on two horses.  The trick discovered, Ismael is enraged and orders his men to give chase.

III

Because they are outnumbered 13,000 to 250,000, the Portuguese leaders want to retreat, or at least delay before engaging the Moors in battle, but Alfonso has faith that God in on their side.  He withdraws into his tent, where a crucified Christ comes and tells him that the Portuguese will win and he will become King of Portugal.  Christ gives him the coat of arms (Quinas) of Portugal, which consists of five shields, representing the five wounds of Christ, in the form of a cross and the thirty pieces of money for which Judas betrayed Christ.  Upon learning what has happened and seeing the Quinas, the Portuguese are revitalized and ready to fight the Moors.  Ismael comes to try to convince the Portuguese to give up and let him have Leonor, even promising Alfonso territory and a wife if he will surrender and become a Muslim.  The Portuguese refuse this offer, however, and go on to win the day.  Even Leonor joins in the fighting.

After the battle, in which many Moors, including Ismael, are killed, the Portuguese leaders are rewarded.  Leonor and Egas are to marry.  Elvira has now turned to a religious life, so Alfonso plans to marry their daughters to suitable nobles and he himself will marry Matilde de Saboya.  Brito is to be "señor" of his village.  Alfonso credits God with the victory and proclaims that the arms of Portugal have triumphed in war.