He is often referred to in the book simply as “The Nobleman” but he lacks the funds for the upkeep of his estate and receives regular demands from his creditors.

To strengthen the family name and advance his own reputation, he decides to describe some of these past achievements in a “novella”, to be published in a friend's literary magazine.

[4] The novel humorously records Gonçalo's struggles to write his novella while, at the same time, running for and being elected as a Member of Parliament.

These record the romanticised courage (and cruelty) of his medieval ancestor, Tructesindo Ramires, which Eça de Queirós contrasts with Gonçalo's own cowardice.

[7] The novel first appeared in serial form, in Revista Moderna, starting in November 1897, but publication was interrupted when the magazine went out of business in 1899.