Dr William Rowlandson from the Department of Modern Languages was interviewed this morning on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland.
He commented on the investigation into the remains of the popular Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, following the discovery of a coffin in a convent in Madrid with the author’s initials engraved on the lid. It is hoped that the identity of the remains will be confirmed later today.
Miguel de Cervantes was one of the most influential novelists of his time and his pioneering novel, Don Quixote (1605), is regarded as one of the best works of fiction ever written.
William discussed the significance of the discovery of one of Spain’s national treasures and how Cervantes’ own account of his wounds, inflicted during the Battle of Lepanto, would have helped to identify the remains.
The interview occurs one hour and seventeen minutes into the three-hour programme and can still be heard on the BBC’s iPlayer here (until 10 April): www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055jm9v