Zaragoza - Characters

  These are the characters in the novel for further reference:

SPOILERS

REGULAR CHARACTERS

- Gabriel Araceli (17) is the narrator and main character. He was born in Cadiz and his mother was the only person who cared for him. There was also an uncle who was very cruel. When his mother died, Gabriel ran to Medina Sidonia where he met Don Alonso and Doña Francisca, who hired him as a page, and he was happy with them. Gabriel was in love with their daughter, Rosita, but he was disappointed when she fell for someone else. Gabriel was with his master in the Battle of Trafalgar at the age of fourteen and saw too many horrors. After Trafalgar Gabriel went to Madrid where he came to serve an actress, Pepita González. After Pepita he started to work in the printing press of the Diario de Madrid. He then fell in love with Inés, and when her mother died, she was forced to live with some cruel cousins, and Gabriel managed to rescue her. Then Gabriel discovered that Inés is the illegitimate daughter of a duchess Amaranta, and now Inés is living with her, and  Gabriel discovered that the family had told everybody that Ines was the daughter of D Felipe, Amarata's uncle.  Ines and Gabriel managed to talk eventually, and they swore their love for each other, but then Gabriel was arrested. Thankfully, Gabriel escaped when he was forced to walk to France, and he ended up in Zaragoza, figthing the terrible war. 

-  Don Roque is Gabriel's neighbour, and he is belligerent in his words and he keeps boasting that he reads the weekly magazine and knows what he is talking about. Roque was arrested alongside Gabriel, and he and Gabriel escaped and ended up in Zaragoza. Don Roque had a friend in Zaragoza, don Jose de Montoria. 

Characters in previous books who may reappear:

- Inés (16) is the girl who Gabriel is in love with. Inés's mother, Juana, was a seamstress, but she died. Inés moved to live with  her uncle, a priest, in Aranjuez where he was given a post. Inés was not doña Juana's real daughter, but the daughter Amaranta gave up when she was very young. Later Inés was forced to live with her cruel cousins when they discovered that she was the daughter of a rich woman, and they tried to get her to marry rich Don Mauro. When she refused, she was locked in her room, but Gabriel managed to release her. Then they were caught in the 2 May uprising, but Gabriel and Ines were separated when Gabriel was arrested. Now Inés is living with her real family, but she is not happy as she can't forget Gabriel. The girl was sad when she was told that Gabriel had died, but then Gabriel surprised her when she turned up to warn her against Diego, who wanted to kidnap her. In this book Ines does not appear and is not even mentioned. 

- Amaranta is  a rich woman who Gabriel met throughout Pepita, the actress he used to work for. Gabriel discovered that as a young woman she fell in love with a young man who her family disapproved. Amaranta got pregnant and had a baby who she gave up. That baby was Inés. Now Inés is now living with Amaranta, but but she actually believes that her father is Don Felipe, Amaranta's uncle, and her mother a French woman, who died. 

- Diego Hipólito Féliz de Cantalicio Afán de Ribera, Count of Rumblar, is the young man that Ines was forced to get engaged to. When Amaranta and Don Felipe discovered that Don Diego actually leads an indecent kind of life, they decided he was not the man Ines should marry. Although Diego doesn't like Inés, he thinks that it is through her that he can get rich and enjoy all the pleasures he likes. So he planned to  kidnap Ines and marry her in secret. When he told Gabriel, the latter rushed to tell Amaranta, and he ended up talking to Inés, and that is when he was arrested.

- Luis de Santorcaz is Ines's real father. He and Diego became friends when they met at the Battle of Bailén. Gabriel found some letters in his saddlebags, which proved that he was Ines's father, so in Madrid Gabriel gave the letters to Amaranta, making her realise that Gabriel knows the truth. In Madrid Luis became part of the police and was adamant to find Gabriel to arrest him, which he did in the end.

- Don Felipe de Pacheco y López, Marquis of Barrientos, is Amaranta's uncle. Now that Ines has been brought to live with Amaranta and him, he has told everybody that in his youth he had a daughter, who he has now legalised.

- Juan de Mañara was made governor in the previous book. In a previous novel he was a royal guard who Lesbia was in love with. Now Juan de Mañara is often seen in the company of Diego and Santorcaz.

- Severo Lobo is the lawyer that Gabriel first met when he was trying to save Ines from the Requejos. Now Lobo works  for Amaranta, and at her request Gabriel signed some documents that Lobo presentde, which would mean he would be sent to Peru. Yet, that plan did not succeed. 

- Román is Santorcaz's butler.

- María Castro de Oro, Countess of Rumblar, is Don Diego's mother. She lives in Bailén.

- La Primorosa was Pacorro's wife. She is very passionate and determined.

CHARACTERS IN THIS NOVEL:

- José de Montoria is Roque's friend in Zaragoza, and he helps him and Gabriel. José is quite strict in his views and adamant that everybody needs to fight and resist. 

- Agustín de Montoria is the son of Jose de Montoria. Agustin was destined for the church, but he fell for Mariquilla, the daughter of a cruel moneylender. Agustin and Gabriel fight in the war, and they try to help Mariquilla. The young woman turns against Agustin when she begs him to help her father escape when he is incarcerated. Actually, Agustin, who was made captain, has received orders to execute him. Agustin tells Mariquilla that he can refuse to execute Candiola, but he can't help him escape. At the end of the book, Mariquilla dies, and Agustin decides to spend the rest of his days in a convent. 

- Mariquilla Candiola (19) is Uncle Candiola's daughter, and she and Agustin are in love. She is blind to her father's flaws and unkindness, and she treats Agustin unfairly at the end of the novel. Mariquilla dies at the end of the novel. 

- Jerónimo Candiola (Uncle Candiola) is a cruel moneylender, who only cares about money. During the siege of Zaragoza, one of his houses is bombed, and he only cares about saving his money and the receipts. Candiola is hateful, but his daughter loves him. When he starts dealings with the French, he is arrested for treason, and he is eventually executed. 

- Doña Guedita is Mariquilla's maid. 

- Manuel de Montoria is Jose's eldest son, but he dies in the war. 

- Sursum Corda is the beggar that helps Roque and Gabriel to find Jose de Montoria when they first arrive in Zaragoza. He is very talkative. 

- Leocadia Sarnera is don Jose's wife and Agustin's mother. She is distraught when her eldest child dies as well as her grandson. 

- Pirli (20) is one of the men who fight in Gabriel's unit. He is a peasant.

- Uncle Garcés (45) also fights alongside Gabriel. He has a small farm.ç

- Fray Mateo del Busto is a priest who helps the locals during the war.