Captain from Castile (novel)
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
Captain from Castile is a historical adventure novel authored by Samuel Shellabarger and released in 1945.
The narrative centers on Pedro de Vargas, a young nobleman from Spain in the early 1500s, chronicling his persecution by the Spanish Inquisition, his leadership role during Hernan Cortés's campaign against the Aztecs, and his eventual journey back to his homeland.
Plot
Set on June 28, 1518, the story begins with 19-year-old Pedro de Vargas confessing minor transgressions in Jaen, Spain. He quickly becomes enamored with Luisa de Carvajal, daughter of the local Marquis.
Pedro assists Coatl, a runaway indigenous slave who claims noble lineage among his people, and rescues Catana Pérez, a tavern dancer, from an attack. At the Rosario tavern, he befriends Juan García, a merchant whose mother is imprisoned by the Inquisition. Pedro agrees to deliver a bribe to Father Ignacio de Lora for her release and is taken aback when it is accepted.
Following a romantic liaison with Luisa, Pedro discovers that his family has been arrested by the Inquisition. Attempts to seek aid from the Marquis de Carvajal prove futile; Catana devises a plan for Pedro’s escape, but he is apprehended. During an auto-da-fé, despite the bribe, García’s mother receives a death sentence; García mercifully ends her life to prevent further suffering.
Pedro uncovers that Diego de Silva—who coveted the de Vargas estate and whose men Pedro had previously confronted—was behind the arrests. The Inquisition tortures Pedro’s sister Mercedes, resulting in her accidental death. With assistance from García and Manuel Pérez, Pedro and his family escape; Pedro wounds de Silva during their flight.
Led by Hernán Soler—whom Catana compensates with herself—Pedro’s family flees through the Sierra de Lucena toward Almería. Pedro and García are separated and captured but eventually join an expedition departing from Cadiz to Cuba, then accompany Cortés to Mexico.
Upon arrival in Mexico, Pedro earns Cortés’ confidence and is assigned to guard gold tributes from Aztec king Montezuma. When emeralds go missing under his watch, Pedro pursues mutineers planning to escape to Cuba. He convinces one to warn Cortés but sustains injuries during his escape.
Elevated to captain—the "Captain from Castile"—Pedro reunites with Catana and joins Cortés’ inland advance toward Tenochtitlan. There, he falls in love with Catana amid growing hostilities between Spaniards and Aztecs.
During the siege and Spanish withdrawal known as La Noche Triste, Pedro, Catana, and García are betrayed by de Silva and left for dead. Facing execution by Aztecs, they witness Father Ignacio de Lora’s death and endure personal tragedies but are spared and entrusted to Coatl’s tribe.
After spending months among Coatl’s people, Pedro returns to Cortés bearing knowledge of a gold-laden cave. He negotiates dividing the treasure among Cortés, their allies, and the Spanish Crown. Cortés, now governor of Mexico, has fathered a son with native interpreter Doña Marina.
Returning to Spain wealthy and seasoned as Cortés’ envoy, Pedro dismisses Luisa’s ambition-fueled affection. Confronted once more by de Silva, Pedro exposes him to authorities and ultimately defeats him in a duel.
The de Vargas family is granted pardon; Pedro weds Catana with Don Francisco’s approval. The novel concludes contemplating a new era where bravery, honor, and love thrive across both Old and New Worlds.
Film adaptation
The initial portion of the novel was transformed into the acclaimed 1947 motion picture Captain from Castile.