The writer Rosa Maria Prat Balaguer reads a passage from her novel Elisenda, queen of the Crown of Aragon (TerraIgnota Ediciones) in the FotoTalent de los Lectores de La Vanguardia. In this interview, illustrated with the portrait photographs taken by Isaura Marcos, we learn the historical figure of a woman with much power in the 14th century, in a time of palatial intrigues and family secrets.

Rosa Maria Prat Balaguer was born in Terrassa and currently lives in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. During her professional life she dedicated herself to teaching and, since she retired, she dedicates herself to fictional narrative, through which she tries to recover historical memory and gives voice and visibility to women.

What inspired you to write about the figure of Elisenda de Montcada?

I consider it to be a cultural and artistic reference of the 14th century. Elisenda was the promoter of the construction of the Pedralbes Monastery. History has always been written by men, while women have been silenced and made invisible. But they have been great workers. I seek to recover her voice, and show the legacy of one of them: Elisenda de Montcada. This was my great inspiration.

How was the research and documentation process to write the novel Elisenda: Queen of the Crown of Aragon?

I documented myself speaking with the director of the Pedralbes museum, Anna Castellano; an art history professor and historian, Francesca Espanyol; and a councilor from the Aitona City Council, Eusebi Valera, the town where Elisenda comes from. One day I visited the Elisenda castle in Aitona and Valera explained to me the whole story about the years in which the Catalan queen was residing there.

What aspects of Elisenda’s life were you most surprised to discover during the research process?

Elisenda was from a noble family, when she decided to retire to the queen’s palace in Pedralbes, and even with all the wealth she wanted to maintain her independence. Although she was not totally independent, she continued to maintain certain privileges as administrator of the patrimony of the entire community of Poor Clares.

She also always remained closely linked to the royal palace, even while in the monastery. She was a queen who entered and left the monastery whenever she wanted. She was a mediator in conflicts, devoted, sensitive, humane and faithful to the knight Guillem de Montcada, whom she loved more than as a friend.

What role did Elisenda play in the consolidation and expansion of the power of the Crown of Aragon during her time?

He had a decisive role in the appointment of Infante Peter the Ceremonious as successor to the Crown of Aragon, since he positioned himself in his favor by attending the coronation ceremony.

What authors or works have influenced your literary style?

In this work by Elisenda, Samuel Beckett and his work Waiting for Godot, and the novel The Angel’s Long Wait, by Melania Mazzucco, served as references for me. My literary work, in general, is influenced by Mercè Rodoreda, since she has marked me greatly through her observation, description and sensitivity in her writing.

What are your future literary projects?

A few days ago the director of the El Triangle theater company in Barcelona called me, as they want to adapt the play Pedres Blancas to the stage. We will hold a meeting on May 3 with the team of actors and actresses who will bring the novel to life. I am very happy and they have suggested that I accompany them to the Pedralbes monastery so that I can tell them each of the settings where the novel takes place and get an idea of ??the evolution of the work. The Triangle is a very prestigious company, they received several awards for their adaptation of the play La plaça del Diamant, by Mercè Rodoreda.

And now that the current social and political situation is leaning more and more towards the ideals of the right, I would like to write an autobiographical work about what it is like to live in a dictatorship, since I lived through the Franco dictatorship for much of my life. Relate the experience of living without freedom. Just 10 days ago I returned from a trip to Vietnam and it is sad to see how people there have no freedom. When you return home you greatly value the freedom we have here to be able to say, think, meet, demonstrate, express ourselves… These are fundamental rights that we cannot afford to lose.

Is there any facet of Elisenda in Rosa Maria Prat?

It is said that when you write there is always a part of you captured in the story. I don’t know, it should be the readers with their feedback who should answer this question for me. I think I am more similar to Sister Clara and not so much to Elisenda, since Clara is the critical voice. And I am very critical in many aspects.

What has been the reaction of the public and critics to your literary works, and especially in relation to Elisenda, the queen of the Crown of Aragó?

It is still a little early to assess it, since the novel came out less than ten days ago. But for Sant Jordi I had my first experience as a writer at a stop and I am very happy. I signed many books in the Town Hall square of my town, in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. Even the copies were sold out. I also signed at the tobacconist’s shop 55 on Passeig Lluís Companys in Barcelona. And finally I was also in Vilafranca del Penedès, although it was late and it started to rain, I met many readers and it was very pleasant to spend some time with all of them.

Furthermore, I am a member of a collective of authors and writers from Penedès, Mir Geribert, which is a means of disseminating the work and works of all of us who are part of it. I am not a writer that people know, but those who know who I am look for me. We readers look for the authors. And to finish, I must mention the great acceptance of Terra de Vinyes, one of my books that explains the emigration to Catalonia in the 60s and 70s from Andalusia and Galicia.

Do you think there could be an Elisenda de Montcada with so much power and influence in today’s society?

We are experiencing a moment of vindication and empowerment of women, where we see that they can finally hold positions that they could not reach before and are breaking glass ceilings. Just as Elisenda and other women did at that time. There are many Elisendas in the world today, very valid women in administrative, economic, political, educational, cultural management…

Elisenda was not a feminist, but we can say that women at that time were very brave in the context of censorship and silence to which they were subjected. We would not know anything about Elisenda if she had not married Jaume II. Proof of this is that the first 30 years of her life are practically an unknown. That is why these women must be given visibility.