ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the literary traits and transformations of Castilian chivalric romances from the late fifteenth century to the seventeenth century. This genre was the dominant form of fiction of its time, with more than 80 different titles written in that epoch. These romances became a literary sensation in the Iberian Peninsula and in Western Europe, comparable to modern bestsellers. However, the influence of Don Quijote damned chivalric romances to scholarly oblivion until the end of the twentieth century. This work will give an overview of the genre, describe its main literary paradigms, and trace its diachronic changes. Additionally, it will challenge some misconceptions that still prevail regarding the complexity and importance of these romances. I will also argue the importance of the genre for the development of early modern fiction and as a cultural phenomenon.
