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The ''Episodios Nacionales'' (''National Episodes'') are a collection of forty-six historical novels written by
Benito Pérez Galdós
Benito Pérez Galdós (May 10, 1843 – January 4, 1920) was a Spanish realist novelist. He was the leading literary figure in 19th-century Spain, and some scholars consider him second only to Miguel de Cervantes in stature as a Spanish no ...
between 1872 and 1912. They are divided into five series and they deal with Spanish history from roughly 1805 to 1880. They are fictional accounts which add characters invented by the author within historical events.
First series
With the exception of ''Gerona'', all the episodes follow the adventures of the boy Gabriel de Araceli, beginning in French-dominated Spain through the war of Independence, from the battle of Trafalgar to the defeat of the French armies (1805–1814). There are ten books in this series:
*''
Trafalgar''
*''La Corte de Carlos IV''
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''The 2nd of May'' is the second LP from British/Canadian trio May Blitz. It was released in 1971 following up their previous self-titled release. This was the first May Blitz album that wasn't self produced by the band. Instead, the band hired ...
]
*''Battle of Bailén, Bailén''
*''Napoleón en Chamartín'' [Napoleon at Chamartín (Madrid), Chamartin]
*''First Siege of Zaragoza, Zaragoza''
*''Third Siege of Girona, Gerona''
*''Cortes of Cádiz, Cádiz''
*''
Juan Martín el Empecinado''
*''La Batalla de los Arapiles''
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_Second_series
Written_between_1875_and_1879,_it_is_a_series_of_ten_books._Its_main_character,_who_is_not_always_the_protagonist,_is_the_liberal_crusader_Salvador_Monsalud._At_first_a_guard_of_King_
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_Second_series
Written_between_1875_and_1879,_it_is_a_series_of_ten_books._Its_main_character,_who_is_not_always_the_protagonist,_is_the_liberal_crusader_Salvador_Monsalud._At_first_a_guard_of_King_Joseph_Bonaparte">José_I,_he_helps_the_king_escape_Spain_with_the_crown_jewels,_which_Jose_would_sell_to_pay_for_his_new_life_in_America._Remaining_in_Spain,_Salvador_is_estranged_from_power_during_the_six_years_of_absolutist_monarchy_of_
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_Second_series
Written_between_1875_and_1879,_it_is_a_series_of_ten_books._Its_main_character,_who_is_not_always_the_protagonist,_is_the_liberal_crusader_Salvador_Monsalud._At_first_a_guard_of_King_Joseph_Bonaparte">José_I,_he_helps_the_king_escape_Spain_with_the_crown_jewels,_which_Jose_would_sell_to_pay_for_his_new_life_in_America._Remaining_in_Spain,_Salvador_is_estranged_from_power_during_the_six_years_of_absolutist_monarchy_of_Ferdinand_VII">Fernando_VII
Ferdinand_VII_(_es,_Fernando_VII;_14_October_1784_–_29_September_1833)_was_a_Monarchy_of_Spain,_King_of_Spain_during_the_early_19th_century._He_reigned_briefly_in_1808_and_then_again_from_1813_to_his_death_in_1833._He_was_known_to_his_supporter_...
_(1814–1820),_lauded_during_the_Liberal_Triennium_(1820–1823)_and_persecuted_during_the_Mid-nineteenth_century_Spain#The_Ominous_Decade_(1823–1833).html" "title="Ferdinand_VII.html" "title="Joseph_Bonaparte.html" ;"title="Battle of Salamanca">he Battle of Salamanca">Battle_of_Salamanca.html" ;"title="he Battle of Salamanca">he Battle of Salamancaref>In Spanish: '':Wikisource:es:La batalla de los Arapiles">La batalla de los Arapiles''
Second series
Written between 1875 and 1879, it is a series of ten books. Its main character, who is not always the protagonist, is the liberal crusader Salvador Monsalud. At first a guard of King Joseph Bonaparte">José I, he helps the king escape Spain with the crown jewels, which Jose would sell to pay for his new life in America. Remaining in Spain, Salvador is estranged from power during the six years of absolutist monarchy of Ferdinand VII">Fernando VII
Ferdinand VII ( es, Fernando VII; 14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was a Monarchy of Spain, King of Spain during the early 19th century. He reigned briefly in 1808 and then again from 1813 to his death in 1833. He was known to his supporter ...
(1814–1820), lauded during the Liberal Triennium (1820–1823) and persecuted during the Mid-nineteenth century Spain#The Ominous Decade (1823–1833)">Ominous Decade
The Ominous Decade (Castilian: ''Década Ominosa'') is a liberal term for the last ten years of the reign of King Ferdinand VII of Spain, dating from the abolition of the Spanish Constitution of 1812, on 1 October 1823, to his death on 29 Septem ...
(1823–1833). His perpetual dissatisfaction guides us through the convulsions of Spain under Fernando, where future conflicts could be seen to have their beginnings. The titles of the Episodes are:
*
El equipaje del rey José' (The Baggage of King Jose)
*
Memorias de un cortesano de 1815' (Memoires of a Courtesan of 1815)
*
La segunda casaca' (The Second Turncoat)
*
El Grande Oriente' (The ''Grande Oriente'')
*
El 7 de julio' (The 7th of July)
*
Los Cien Mil Hijos de San Luis' (The 100,000 sons of San Luis)
*
El terror de 1824' (The Terror of 1824)
*
Un voluntario realista' (A Royalist Volunteer)
* ''Los Apostólicos'' (The Apostolics)
* ''Un faccioso más y algunos frailes menos'' (One More Rebel and a Few Less Friars)
After this series, Galdós did not plan to continue, but after the Spanish–American War (the "Disaster of '98"), he decided to follow with another series.
Third series
The divided Spain of the First Carlist War and the Minority of Isabella II of Spain#The regency of Maria Christina, Regency of
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, Maria Cristina is the setting of the following episodes, which revolve around the romantic Fernando Calpena. The ten episodes that comprise the series are:
*
Zumalacárregui'
*
Mendizábal'
*
De Oñate a la Granja' (From Oñate to Granja)
*
Luchana'
*
La campaña del Maestrazgo' (The Campaign of Maestrazco)
*
La estafeta romántica' (The Romantic Courier)
*
Vergara'
*
Montes de Oca'
*
Los Ayacuchos' (The Ayacuchans)
*
Bodas Reales' (Royal Weddings)
Fourth series
José García Fajardo, uninterested in politics, unlike the protagonists of the previous series, is the main character of this series of ten episodes which encompass the entire
reign
A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Andorra), of a people (e.g., the Franks, the Zulus) or of a spiritual community (e.g., Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism ...
of
Isabel II
Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868.
Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
, a contemporary of the author. The titles of this series are:
*
Las tormentas del 48' (The Storms of 48)
*
Narváez'
*
Los duendes de la camarilla' (The Demons of the Entourage)
*
La Revolución de Julio' (The July Revolution)
*
O'Donnell'
*
Aita Tettauen'
*
Carlos VI en la Rápita' (Carlos VI in Rápita)
*
La vuelta al mundo en la Numancia' (The Trip Around the World on the Numancia)
*
Prim'
*
La de los tristes destinos' (She of the Sad Destinies)
Fifth series
Tito, a first-person narrator who is not a real person, but a conceit of the author to create thoughtful dialogue, featured in this unfinished series, which begins during the
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...
in Spain, and contains only six published titles and a draft:
*
España sin rey' (Spain Without a King)
*
España trágica' (Tragic Spain)
*
Amadeo I'
*
La Primera República' (The First Republic)
*
De Cartago a Sagunto' (From Carthage to Sagunto)
*
Cánovas'
* ''Sagasta'' (draft)
References
{{Benito Pérez Galdós
Novels by Benito Pérez Galdós
Novel series