A wealthy merchant group from Syria travels to Rome, where they learn of the beauty and virtue of the emperor's daughter, Constance. The Sultan of Syria becomes enamored with her and decides to marry her, despite the challenges posed by their differing religions. He converts to Christianity to win her hand, and they marry with the blessing of the Pope. However, the Sultan's mother, a pagan, plots against Constance. She orchestrates a massacre at a feast, killing the Christians present, while Constance is spared and cast adrift at sea with her infant son. Miraculously, they survive and are eventually washed ashore in Northumberland, where a kind constable and his wife take them in. Constance's beauty and virtue lead to her being wrongfully accused of murder when a knight attempts to assault her and kills the constable's wife instead. Despite her innocence, she faces execution but is saved by divine intervention. The king, Allá, learns of her plight and, upon discovering her true identity, reconciles with her. Constance and Allá are reunited, and they return to England, where they live in peace. Tragically, Allá dies after a year, leaving Constance to journey back to Rome, where she finds her father and lives a life of virtue and charity. The tale concludes with a prayer for divine grace and protection for all present.
By Geoffrey Chaucer · First published 1400 · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Medieval Literature, Allegory