[1] Don Julián (a mythical figure) is one of the villains of traditional Spanish history, who facilitated the Moorish (Islamic) conquest of Spain in the eighth century, to avenge the alleged sexual abuse of one of his daughters by Rodrigo, the last Visigothic king.

Goytisolo's title proclaims that this book intends to defend or vindicate Don Julián: that we should celebrate what he did, rather than condemn him.

In an amusement park the narrator enters a large model of the vagina of Isabel la Católica, Spain's most Catholic queen.

[2][3] He delights in Don Julián's facilitating the rape of Spanish virgins by the invading Moors.

The protagonist, who lives in Morocco (as did Goytisolo), seeks revenge on Spain, the country that cast him out, by destroying its literature, religion, cultural beliefs, myths, and language.