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The literature of Medieval Europe has been studied so extensively that there are a great number of academic contributions that can be analyzed by current and future generations. The purpose of this particular work is to examine this topic, but as it pertains to the Medieval Iberian Peninsula. The medieval age of Spain has been considered a period wrought with conflict and religious persecution throughout the confines of its borders. From the inception of the invasions of various European tribes into the Iberian Peninsula, the stage was set for a continual onset of conquest for many years to come. This conquest took place during the 800 years that the Muslims maintained control of the southern half of the Medieval Iberian Peninsula. Such an occupation was achieved by way of the Strait of Gibraltar in which a mixed force of Arabs and Moroccan Berbers overthrew the Visigothic kingdom, giving this Muslim power an unquestioned supremacy (O'Callaghan 1). In an effort to closely examine this period, this study analyzed Las jarchas, El cantar de mio Cid, and Las coplas por la muerte de su padre. The first two literary works written anonymously, the third by Jorge Manrique. With all three being key works from the Iberian Peninsula during the early part of the Middle Ages, the goal was to apply their principles to modern day culture. This work has interpreted in depth the code of honor and its use during the Middle Ages as a key element of its time, and has demonstrated that it is no longer followed as closely as it once was. It has supported the idea that although the Medieval Iberian Peninsula saw its conflicts, there was in fact a certain level of coexistence among the various religious groups sharing the peninsula. Along with these findings, this work presents the conclusion that although the distance in time is clear, it is important to analyze the literary works of the past in order to have a clearer image of what the life and culture may have been like for the individuals who lived and breathed when the Middle Ages was their present time.

This thesis has concerned itself with two medieval poems, Frangois Villon's Testament and Jorge Manrique's Copias for la muerte de su padre. Both poems contain an ubi sunt digression which becomes the essential leitmotif in a more complete comprehension and appreciation of the two works. From the aspects of both structure and content, an understanding of the ubi sunt convention, as utilized by the poets, reveals key insights into the world-view present in the poems. Since the reader of poetry must begin with the specific in order to avoid confusion in the general, this thesis has contended that an analysis, primarily consisting of the ubi sunt series, will both stimulate the clarity of vision necessary for poetic interpretation of, and incite further research into, these often overlooked poems.