La orfaneta de Menargues; o, Catalunya agonisant : Novela histórica

In a war‑torn Catalonia where rival crowns and papal intrigue intersect, the story opens amid a crumbling monastery in Valldonzella. An ancient, dust‑covered sword of Saint Martí hangs forgotten in a priory cell, while the corpse of a once‑mighty king lies hidden in the cathedral of Barcelona, awaiting a distant summons. The populace, bruised by famine, pestilence and endless battles, looks to the heavens for guidance, interpreting every bright or dim star as a sign of their destiny.

Against this turbulent backdrop two princes—one favored by a hopeful pope, the other cast as a cursed heir—voice their desperate ambitions. Their speeches echo the clash of loyalties, foreign alliances, and personal honor, each convinced that celestial omens will crown them ruler of Aragon. Meanwhile a learned monk from Barcelona watches the unfolding drama, his scholarly eye noting how politics, faith, and superstition weave together to shape the fate of a region on the brink of collapse.