<DIV><DIV><DIV><P class=BasicParagraph style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">In the long history of European prose, few works have been more influential and popular than <I>Amadis of Gaul</I>. It is a landmark work among the knight-errantry tales and probably derives from an oral tradition. Although its original author is unknown, it was likely written during the early fourteenth century, with the first known version of this work, dating from 1508, written in Spanish by Garci Ord&#243;&#241;ez (or Rodr&#237;guez) de Montalvo. An early bestseller of the age of printing, <I>Amadis of Gaul</I> was translated into dozens of languages and spawned sequels and imitators over the centuries.</P><P class=BasicParagraph style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">&nbsp;</P><P class=BasicParagraph style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal">A handsome, valiant, and undefeatable knight, Amadis is best known today as Don Quixote&#8217;s favorite knight-errant and role model.&nbsp; Readers for centuries have delighted in his tales of adventure.</P></DIV>