The Curse of Chalion
The Curse of Chalion is a 2001 fantasy novel by Lois McMaster Bujold.
The book was designed to stand alone, but became the beginning of a five-book series, each dedicated to a different one of the Quintarian Gods. The plot of the novel centers around Lupe dy Cazaril, a knight making his way back home after long years as a galley slave. His old patroness finds a use for him as tutor to her granddaughter the Royesse (Princess) Iselle. Caz finds himself on a strange journey through dangers both spiritual and temporal. This is not only a moving novel about self-sacrifice and redemption, but also an important piece of speculative theological fiction which closely examines the relationship between free will, fate, and divine intervention.
It soon becomes clear that Chalion is a looking glass version of the kingdom of Castile y Leon, and the novel is also an alternate world fantasy retelling of the lives of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the unifiers of Spain. Iselle's mother Ista, heroine of the sequel Paladin of Souls, is Isabella of Portugal. Her father Ias is John II of Castile, whose favorite Alvaro de Luna is Bujold's Arvol dy Lutez. Iselle's half-brother Orico represents Henry IV of Castile, who was called "the Impotent", and her full brother Teidez is Alfonso de las Asturias.