On Maria Negra’s "Blackness": Notes on Three Satirical Cantigas by Pero Garcia Burgalês

Abstract

In the Galician-Portuguese satiric songs, the soldadeira Maria Negra is mentioned in three cantigas attributed to Pero Garcia Burgalês: "Maria Negra vi eu, em outro dia" (B 1382, V 990); "Dona Maria Negra, bem talhada" (B 1383bis, V 992); and "Maria Negra, des[a]ventuirada!" (B 1384, V 993). Through an analysis of these cantigas, this article aims to examine in what sense "blackness" is represented as a distinctive characteristic of the soldadeira.