Chronologically Speaking, Part Eight: "Queen of the Black Coast"

Chronologically Speaking is a series focused solely on chronologizing the Conan of Cimmeria stories. It's an analysis of only the text of Robert E. Howard's original Conan tales. I'm examining the stories one at a time, in publication order, to show explicit chronological notes to order the stories.

Appearing in Weird Tales in May 1934, "Queen of the Black Coast" is the ninth Conan of Cimmeria story published and appeared just one month after "Iron Shadows in the Moon." In the last four stories published, three of them are pirate stories, and this is the third time in nine that Howard's made use of the black lotus powder as a plot device. However, these are more quirks of publishing rather than a throughline in Howard's writing. "Queen of the Black Coast" had been written and set to Farnsworth Wright at Weird Tales by August 1932, but wouldn't be published for almost another two years. Howard was paid $115 for it.

There are lots of interesting chronological markers in this story!

---

• Conan begins the story having been a mercenary, but one out of work for a time: "I came into Argos seeking employment, but with no wars forward, there was nothing to which I might turn my hand." He begins the story in Argos, probably in the port city of Messantia.
• Conan's clothing suggests that his mercenary work has taken him to several different places: "He saw a tall powerfully built figure in a black scale-mail hauberk, burnished greaves and a blue-steel helmet from which jutted bull's horns highly polished. From the mailed shoulders fell the scarlet cloak, blowing in the sea-wind. A broad shagreen belt with a golden buckle held the scabbard of the broadsword he bore. Under the horned helmet a square-cut black mane contrasted with smoldering blue eyes."
  • The scarlet cloak mentioned here is somewhat of a point of contention for Conan scholars since he wears a scarlet cloak four times: in "Black Colossus," "The Snout in the Dark," "Queen of the Black Coast," and the Yaralet fragment. Is it the same cloak? I'm inclined to say no.
• Conan is explicitly said to be "young in years," but seems to be well-traveled. Conan's clothing matches some of the places he's probably been so far: "Young in years, he was hardened in warfare and wandering, and his sojourns in many lands were evident in his apparel. His horned helmet was such as was worn by the golden-haired Aesir of Nordheim; his hauberk and greaves were of the finest workmanship of Koth; the fine ring-mail which sheathed his arms and legs was of Nemedia; the blade at his girdle was a great Aquilonian broadsword; and his gorgeous scarlet cloak could have been spun nowhere but in Ophir."
  • His horned helmet from Nordheim may have been acquired around the events of "The Frost-Giant's Daughter," if we allow ourselves to look quite a bit ahead in the publication order.
  • His hauberk and greaves are from Koth, which Conan visits in several stories, possibly placing this one after "Xuthal of the Dusk."
  • His ring-mail is from Nemedia, which he visits in "Rogues in the House."
  • His blade is Aquilonian, which he hasn't been to yet in publication order, but is right near Argos on the Hyborian Age map.
  • The cloak is from Ophir, which Conan has not explicitly visited yet.
• Conan says that he has spent "considerable time" among civilized people: "By Crom, though I've spent considerable time among you civilized peoples, your ways are still beyond my comprehension." How much is considerable time? I'm not sure... a few years?
• Conan says that he learned archery from the Hyrkanians, placing his Turanian mercenary period (Turanians are ethnically Hyrkanians) prior to "Queen of the Black Coast:" "It's not my idea of a manly weapon, but I learned archery among the Hyrkanians, and it will go hard if I can't feather a man or so on yonder deck."
• Conan has familiarity with many gods, specifically Bel, which he clearly states he learned of during his thieving days in Zamora. "Some gods are strong to harm, others, to aid; at least so say their priests. Mitra of the Hyborians must be a strong god, because his people have builded their cities over the world. But even the Hyborians fear Set. And Bel, god of thieves, is a good god. When I was a thief in Zamora I learned of him."
• Conan seems to know Nemedia and Nordheim intimately, which is further evidence that "Rogues in the House" and "The Frost-Giant's Daughter" should take place before this story: "I have known many gods. He who denies them is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply. I seek not beyond death. It may be the blackness averred by the Nemedian skeptics, or Crom's realm of ice and cloud, or the snowy plains and vaulted halls of the Nordheimer's Valhalla."
• Conan recognizes the black lotus, but only as Taurus of Nemedia used it in "The Tower of the Elephant." This places "Xuthal of the Dusk" likely later: "He recoiled, recognizing the black lotus, whose juice was death, and whose scent brought dream-haunted slumber."
• This final chronological note is not about "Queen of the Black Coast's" relation to other stories, but to itself. How much time passes between chapters one and two? Chapter two includes this passage: "Conan agreed. He generally agreed to her plans. Hers was the mind that directed their raids, his the arm that carried out her ideas. It mattered little to him where they sailed or whom they fought, so long as they sailed and fought. He found the life good." This implies that Conan and Bêlit have settled into a relationship and a rapport. She is the mastermind, he is the muscle. Since this states that they have apparently conducted multiple raids, sailed multiple places, and fought multiple people, how much time has Conan been first mate aboard the Tigress? A few weeks? A few months? If Conan has settled into pirate life, I'd guess their sojourn lasts a few months.

So what do we know for sure?

• This story must take place after his thieving days. The places it firmly after "Rogues" and "Tower."
• This story takes place after he is a mercenary for Turan, where he learned archery.

What events are probable, but not 100% clear?

• Conan has been to Nordheim and Nemedia.
• Conan doesn't seem to have ever been a pirate before.
• Conan probably hasn't come across the "Xuthal" version of the black lotus.

What is possible?

• Conan has been to Aquilonia, to get his sword.
• Conan has been to Koth, to get his armor.
• Conan has been to Ophir, to get his cloak.

Here's the thing: I don't think we should give that much weight to his clothing. Argos is a city that is usually portrayed as a hub of commerce. The mercenary bands which Conan has been with are universally described as extremely diverse, motley crews. I find it far more likely that he's simply bought these clothes or picked items off dead bodies on the battlefield. In later stories, he's frequently clad in just a loincloth, which means that he's probably rapidly gaining and losing articles of clothing anyway. 

Therefore, we should focus on Conan's characterization and other clues. He's after his thieving days, during his mercenary days, but probably before "Xuthal of the Dusk." Additionally, if we look back to "Iron Shadows in the Moon," Conan smiles enigmatically about pirates and makes a crack at the end by calling Olivia "the Queen of the Blue Sea," which might be a reference to his time with Bêlit. So this story is probably set before "Iron Shadows" as well.

All of the above would place "Queen of the Black Coast" early, but not first. Here is the updated timeline:

1. The Tower of the Elephant
2. Rogues in the House
3. Queen of the Black Coast
4. Xuthal of the Dusk
5. Iron Shadows in the Moon
6. Black Colossus
7. The Pool of the Black One
8.  The Phoenix on the Sword
9. The Scarlet Citadel