# Don Balthasar Riego — Romance character guide

> Don Balthasar Riego in Romance by Joseph Conrad.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Don Balthasar, the old Don, II Don Balthasar

**First appearance:** 0004-part-i-the-quarry-and-the-beach

## Who they are

An ancestor of the Riego family, mentioned in the narrative.

## Relationships

### [Carlos Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/carlos_riego)

_family_

Shared surname and honorific suggest father-son or uncle-nephew relationship.

### [Carlos Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/carlos_riego)

_family_

Shared surname and honorific suggest father-son or uncle-nephew relationship.

## In the story

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/ii)

Carlos's uncle; an old man asleep in the inner room; a plenipotentiary in the pirate delivery affair.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii)

The old Don stirs and awakens briefly during the heated exchange, using a gold vinaigrette, but remains largely passive.

### [Part III: Casa Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/part-iii-casa-riego)

A relative or associate of the Riego family, involved in the estate's management and conflicts.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/i)

The old patriarch, presiding over the dinner, blessing Kemp, and showing the weight of age and tradition.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/ii)

Ailing and senile; dominated by O'Brien, he is a pawn in the unfolding plot.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/v)

Senile and preoccupied with funeral arrangements for his wife; dismisses Kemp with a blessing.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vii)

Mentioned as having introduced cattle to the estate and as being too great a noble to trouble with vermin like Manuel.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iv)

Mentioned in the protagonist's testimony about his past in Cuba.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/don_balthasar_riego
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters