| Procol Harum – Conquistador Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Though the name refers to the 1500's Spanish explorers who set foot on the Americas, my impression is of the Medieval Knights Templar. Why? The lyrics refer to to a fallen warrior. "and like some angel's haloed brow you reek of purity", that sounds more like a warrior monk fighting the Islamic infidels and protecting the Holy Land pilgrims. These guys prayed and also fought bloody battles. Whereas the Spaniards raped, robbed and pillaged. Also sword and shields were more of a crusader choice of weapons: a vulture sits upon your silver shield and in your rusty scabbard now the sand has taken seed and though your jewel-encrusted blade has not been plundered still (no jewels at all on blades though - no vanity allowed). The Spaniards used guns and canons more that pikes and swords (rapiers). Note also: Conquistador there is no time I must pay my respect and though I came to jeer at you I leave now with regret and as the gloom begins to fall I see there is no aureole and though you came with sword held high you did not conquer, only die The Templars were jeered by the contemporary royal subjects of France when they were discredited (thanks to the two stooges King Philip the IV and Pope Clement V). Today the Templars are regarded as heros who were immensely done injustice against them considering their faithfulness and courage. These medieval warriors did not get to conquer, the Levant (Palestine), only occupied for a few centuries, in fact they lost the land to the Saracen infidels and a large number died in that dusty land. They fought knowing they might to die (or expected to die) but gain an entrance to Heaven (according to the belief they held). The Spanish explorers, unfortunatey to the North and South American indigenous inhabitants, did conquer the continents. Historically, the conquistadors were swindled out of their gains by the Lawyers and Bureaucrats the King of Spain really trusted. A good number of conquistadors were scoundrels : mercenaries and criminals, who the King could never trust. Maybe the title should have been Chevalier, not conquistador. |
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