Editing Joanot Martorell (section)

== Biography ==
Martorell was born in Valencia around the year 1410. According to the historian Jaume Chiner, Martorell's family was originally from Gandía. His grandfather, Guillem Martorell, was a royal advisor and his father, Francesc Martorell, married to Damiata Abelló, was butler to King Martin the Humane.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=VVAA |title=La Gran Enciclopèdia |date= |publisher=Edicions 62 |year=2004 |isbn=84-297-5441-5 |edition= |volume=13 |location=Barcelona |pages= |language=Catalan}}</ref> A sister of Joanot Martorell, Isabel, was married to Ausiàs March.

There are many biographical details that show Martorell to have been a combative and aggressive knight with a hectic life, marked by various trips and knightly adventures, although most of his disputes, including the challenges to the death, did not go beyond verbal duels.<ref name=":0" /> His first appointment of knighthood dates to 1433.<ref name=":0" />

Martorell spent many years in [[England]] (on one of his stays, in 1438, he translated the 12th-century poem ''Guy of Warwick''), [[Portugal]] and [[Naples]], as a result of various knightly disputes of which he was so fond, and about which information exists thanks to the fourteen "lletres de batalla" (battle letters, or exchanged letters) that Martorell wrote throughout his life and that were published in the editions of ''Tirante el Blanco'' edited by [[Martí de Riquer i Morera|Martí de Riquer]] in 1969 and 1979.

The confrontations Martorell had include the following:<ref name=":0" />

* On one occasion, Martorell challenged his cousin Joan de Monpalau. Monpalau had apparently been in love with a sister of Martorell's and had promised to marry her, then refused to keep his promise. The dispute lasted from 1437 to 1445.
* Between 1444 and 1450 there is evidence of another dispute with Gonzalo de Híjar, commander of Montalbán, over a matter related to the sale of some properties. It was settled in favor of Martorell.
* In 1442 he had another lawsuit against Philip Boïl, for reasons of testimony.

In 1454, Martorell traveled to Naples to help [[Alfonso the Magnanimous]].

He lived in Plaça de Sant Jordi (now Plaça de Rodrigo Botet), a neighbor of [[Joan Roís de Corella]]. After the sale of his estates, his financial ruin increased; [[Martí Joan de Galba]], who lived in Valencia, often lent him money because Martorell was in such great need.

Martorell died in Valencia, leaving no descendants. The date of his death is placed at the beginning of 1465.