Representations of the Peninsular War in Portuguese and British historical novels

Abstract

The Peninsular War has undergone a process of historical revision from several perspectives (military, social, and political) and simultaneously a fictionalization in the guise of personal narratives or accounts in which the concern for historical accuracy varies greatly. More than two hundred years after the momentous events in Portugal, which played such an important part in determining the future of Europe, it would seem an opportune moment to contribute to the rediscovery of a series of fictional texts inspired by the conflict, many of which have fallen into an unjustified oblivion. This article focuses on Portuguese and British historical novels and the more significant aspects of the fictional representations of Anglo-Portuguese relations during the War.