Five years of war between Castile and Portugal have come to an end. A new queen, Isabel I, sits on the throne of Castile. Her consort, Fernando of Aragon, suspects that the child she carries is illegitimate. A dwarf by the name of Velasquillo journeys from the pestilent-stricken lands of Catalonia to the imperial city of Toledo in search of fame and fortune. He rises to the highest circles of power, where he learns what it means to sacrifice his will and dignity to the ambitions of great men and women. Little Velasquez is a work of historical fiction set in 15th century Spain, and a tragic-comedic exploration of political intrigue, religious persecution, foreign conquest, and personal exile."