User:N.sibery

Lindabrides Reappraised

The common reference to this young lady as a kept woman does not accord with

the adventures she encountered in the Mirror of Knighthood. Lindabrides : Daughter of Alicandro,Emperor of Cathay and Tartary,and sister of Meridian. Brother and sister set out from Tartary,living in a huge chariot,to tour the world. The knight who could conquer Meridian was to win Lindabrides and succeed to the throne of Tartary. Donzel del Phebo,the Knight of the Sun,often simply called Alphebo,fought and defeated Meridian, winning Lindabrides and all that went with her.Alphebo adopted the title of the Knight of the Chariotand,so disguised, made his way to Constantinople,where he held the lists.He overvame a large number of knights,encountered the amazon Claridiana who lost a stirrup.Finally he was challenged by Rosicleer,with whom he fought for eight hours,before the ( unaware ) brothers were separated by Artemidoro the magician. Alphebo escorted Lindabrides back to her home in Tartary,where,naturally,he overthrew all the knights present at that court.After a brief sojourn in Cathay,Alphebo determined to return to the west,to seek that amazon,Claridiana,who was the daughter of Theodoro Emperor of Constantinople by Diana,Queen of the Amazons.Alphebo, after many trials and tribulations,was to marry the princess.Lindabrides,however,felt herself insulted by this desertion and persuaded her father,Alicandro,to summon a mighty army to proceed against Constantinople. Lindabrides wrote to Alphebocomplaining about his behaviour,to which the hero replied that,although he retained the deepest affection for her,their differing religions kept them too far apart,this seeming the kindest solution to the problem.The mighty of Tartary was defeated by the defenders of Constantinople,among whom were most of the young the princes to Europe.Alicandro fled with Lindabrides,but they were waylaid by the evil Reboam,from whom they were delivered by Alphebo,who brought them back to Constantinople.The magicians,Lyrgrandeo and Artemidoro,enchanted Lindabrides in a tower until she shoud be rescued by a fated knight.This adventure was achieved by Claramante, son of Trebatio,Lord of Macedon,and brother of Alphebo and Rosicleer,who proved this Disamorous Tower. In due course Lindabrides married Claramante,presumably living happily ever after in marital bliss.

The above notes were taken by N.Sibery from the English translation of The Mirror of Knighthood in the Reading Room of the British Museum.