On the way to Bigorra

“Unterwegs nach Bigorra” is a historical novel by Arnulf Zitelmann , published by Beltz & Gelberg. It is set in medieval France at the time of the Islamic conquests across Europe.

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The protagonist of the novel is the young Franconian Itta, who returns to her home farm from Breton slavery, but finds her husband married to her sister there. In order not to be forced into a forced marriage with the court administrator (which would clarify the legal situation for her "ex" husband), she flees the next day and joins the Jewish traveling merchant Jakob, who she after initially distrusted among his Protection provides. Itta's destination is Bigorra, a town at the foot of the Pyrenees, where her aunt lives. However, she is persecuted by her ex-husband because she also took her dowry (which she was entitled to) with her when she escaped. On the way, Jakob and Itta cross various cities that are now steeped in history and witness the Battle of Tours, in which the Saracens are repulsed by the Franks. On this occasion they save the Saracen prince Sahnun, blinded in battle, who becomes their companion. The three of them are often in danger on the way, are attacked, Itta and Sahnun are briefly enslaved, and Jakob is even ostracized by his fellow believers. However, each time they manage to overcome the danger and continue their journey. By returning Sahnun to his compatriots, they cause them to break off the siege of the Franconian city of Toulouse. Jakob proposes to Itta to marry his son, which she initially refuses. After she broke up with him and almost got caught by her ex-husband, she changed her mind and returned to Jakob.

style

Zitelmann combines historical events with the fate of seemingly insignificant people, whose way of life and problems (also with the powerful) he describes in the narrative style that is typical for him (i.e. from the point of view of a certain person integrated into the story, not from that of an omniscient narrator) by letting them survive adventures and journeys that bring them into contact with historically significant locations and people.