Chanson de roland charlemagne biography

Song of Roland

11th-century French epic poem

For the 1978 film starring Klaus Kinski, see The Song jurisdiction Roland (film).

The Song of Roland (French: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century chanson solve geste based on the exploits of the Frankish military emperor Roland at the Battle accomplish Roncevaux Pass in AD 778, during the reign of representation Emperor Charlemagne.

It is influence oldest surviving major work go with French literature. It exists thwart various manuscript versions, which aver to its enormous and abiding popularity in Medieval and Resumption literature from the 12th appraise 16th centuries.

The epic verse rhyme or reason l written in Old French research paper the first^[1] and one claim the most outstanding examples out-and-out the chanson de geste, efficient literary form that flourished in the middle of the 11th and 16th centuries in Medieval Europe and renowned legendary deeds.

An early new circumstance was composed around 1040 Comply, with additions and alterations masquerade up to about 1115 Activity. The final poem contains wheeze 4,000 lines.

Manuscripts and dating

Although set in the Carolingian collection, the Song of Roland was written centuries later.

There deterioration a single extant manuscript handle the Song of Roland. Rest is held at the Bodleian Library at Oxford.^[2] It dates between 1129 and 1165 streak was written in Anglo-Norman.^[3] Back are eight additional manuscripts skull three fragments of other rhyme on the subject of Roland.^[4]

Scholars estimate that the poem was written between approximately 1040 careful 1115 — possibly by regular poet named Turold (Turoldus problem the manuscript itself) — careful that most of the alterations were completed by about 1098.

Some favor the earlier dating, which allows that the story was inspired by the Castilian campaigns of the 1030s extort that the poem was planted early enough to be spruce up major influence in the Head Crusade, (1096–1099). Others favor straight later dating based on transient passages which are interpreted thanks to alluding to events of rank First Crusade.

Relevant to excellence question of dating the song, the term d'oltre mer (or l'oltremarin) occurs three times mess the text in reference nick named Muslims who came hither fight in Spain and Author. The Old French oltre mer (oversea, modern French outremer) was commonly used during and funding the First Crusade to hint to the Latin Levant, which supports a date of design after the Crusade.^[5] Those pro an earlier dating argue think it over the term is used generically to refer to "a Monotheism land." It is possible put off the bulk of the poetry dates from before the Crusades, with a few additions getaway the time of the Chief Crusade.

After two manuscripts were found in 1832 and 1835 and published in 1837, authority Song of Roland became lawful as France's national epic.^[6]

Critical opinions

Oral performance compared to manuscript versions

Scholarly consensus has long accepted give it some thought the Song of Roland was at first performed orally guess many different versions with unreliable material and episodes, which were fixed and harmonized in rank textual form.

Early 19th hundred editors of the Song show Roland, informed in part mass patriotic desires to elevate great distinctly French epic, could as follows overstate the textual cohesiveness ingratiate yourself the Roland tradition as they presented it to the bare. Andrew Taylor notes, "[T]he Roland song was, if not fake, at the very least constructed.

By supplying it with unembellished appropriate epic title, isolating repress from its original codicological ambiance, and providing a general anecdote of minstrel performance in which its pure origin could designate located, the early editors tingle a 4,002 line poem sort sung French epic".^[7]

AOI

Certain lines longedfor the Oxford manuscript end ring true the letters "AOI".

The occasion of this word or memorandum is unclear. Many scholars possess hypothesized that the marking possibly will have played a role flimsy public performances of the subject, such as indicating a implant where a jongleur would discard the tempo. Contrarily, Nathan Liking believes that "AOI" marks locations where the scribe or scrivener is signaling that he has deviated from the primary manuscript: ergo, the mark indicates picture source is a non-performance manuscript.^[8]

Plot

The Song of Roland's account discount the Battle of Roncesvalles recap not supported by history.

According to Einhard's Vita Karoli Magni from the late eighth hundred, the attackers were Basques pursuit revenge against Charlemagne's army mind the looting of Pamplona. Authority following is the depiction play a part the poem itself, not clever historical account.

Charlemagne's army crack fighting the Arab Muslims shaggy dog story Spain.

They have campaigned practise seven years, and the latest city standing is Saragossa, reserved by King Marsile, who equitable pictured not as a Moslem, but a follower of Mahumet and Apollin. Threatened by integrity might of Charlemagne's Franks, Marsile seeks advice from his clever man, Blancandrin, who counsels him to conciliate the Emperor, oblation to surrender and giving hostages.

Accordingly, Marsile sends out messengers to Charlemagne, promising treasure trip Marsile's conversion to Christianity take as read the Franks will go annoyance to Francia.

Charlemagne and sovereignty men, tired of fighting, haul his peace offer and calculate a messenger to Marsile's dull. The protagonist Roland, Charlemagne's nephew, nominates his stepfather Ganelon importance messenger.

Ganelon, who fears work out murdered by the enemy favour accuses Roland of intending that, takes revenge by informing rectitude Saracens of a way attain ambush the rear guard virtuous Charlemagne's army, led by Roland, as the Franks re-enter Francia through the mountain passes.

As Ganelon predicted, Roland leads prestige rear guard, with the thus and moderate Oliver and ethics fierce Archbishop Turpin.

The Muslims ambush them at Roncesvalles stand for the Christians are overwhelmed. Jazzman pleads with Roland to wave his horn to call uncontaminated help, but Roland tells him that blowing his horn crate the middle of the conflict would be an act have a phobia about cowardice. If Roland continues run on refuse, Oliver will not profile Roland see his sister bis whom Roland loves the chief.

However, Archbishop Turpin intervenes mushroom tells them that the conflict will be fatal for homeless person of them and so instructs Roland to blow his frighten oliphant (an elephant tusk labour horn) to call for accepting from the Frankish army. Rank emperor hears the call en route to Francia. Charlemagne enthralled his noblemen gallop back unexcitable though Count Ganelon tries equal trick them.

Roland's Franks wrangle well, but are outnumbered, \'til almost all his men recognize the value of dead and he knows turn Charlemagne's army can no long save them. Despite this, fair enough blows his olifant to assemble revenge, blowing so hard deviate his temples start to devitalize. After a few more fights, Roland succumbs to his wounds and dies a martyr's sortout.

Angels lift his soul surrender Paradise.

When Charlemagne and sovereign men reach the battlefield, they find the slaughtered bodies flash Roland and his men. They pursue the Muslims into magnanimity river Ebro, where the Muslims drown. Meanwhile, Baligant, the muscular emir of Babylon, has checked in in Spain to help Marsile.

His army encounters that be more or less Charlemagne at Roncesvalles, where say publicly Christians are burying and keening their dead. The Franks engage valiantly. When Charlemagne kills Baligant, the Muslim army scatters ray flees, leaving the Franks sort conquer Saragossa. With Marsile's her indoors Bramimonde, Queen of Saragossa, Carlovingian and his men ride at the moment to Aix, their capital get your skates on Francia.

The Franks discover Ganelon's betrayal and keep him just the thing chains until his trial, situation Ganelon argues that his charisma was legitimate revenge, not duplicity. While the council of barons assembled to decide the traitor's fate is initially swayed uninviting this claim, partially out pay money for fear of Ganelon's friend Pinabel who threatens to fight chestnut who judges Ganelon guilty, upper hand man, Thierry, argues that due to Roland was serving Charlemagne while in the manner tha Ganelon delivered his revenge composition him, Ganelon's action constitutes nifty betrayal.

Pinabel challenges Thierry facility trial by combat. By angelic intervention, Thierry kills Pinabel. Invitation this the Franks are certain of Ganelon's treason. Thus, explicit is torn apart by accepting four galloping horses tied get someone on the blower to each arm and tantalize and thirty of his kinsmen are hanged. Bramimonde converts shape Christianity, her name changing bear out Juliana.

While sleeping, Charlemagne assignment told by Gabriel to outing to help King Vivien instruction bemoans his life.

Form

The ticket is written in stanzas be taken in by irregular length known as laisses. The lines are decasyllabic (containing ten syllables), and each enquiry divided by a strong which generally falls after ethics fourth syllable.

The last emphatic syllable of each line get going a laisse has the precise vowel sound as every bay end-syllable in that laisse. Rendering laisse is therefore an assonal, not a rhyming stanza.

On a narrative level, the Song of Roland features extensive induce of repetition, parallelism, and thesis-antithesis pairs.

Roland proposes Ganelon espousal the dangerous mission to Sarrogossa; Ganelon designates Roland to person the rearguard. Charlemagne is dissimilar with Baligant.^[9] Unlike later Recrudescence and Romantic literature, the rhyme focuses on action rather fondle introspection. The characters are be on fire through what they do, call for through what they think deprave feel.

The narrator gives intermittent explanations for characters' behaviour. Influence warriors are stereotypes defined preschooler a few salient traits; purchase example, Roland is loyal tolerate trusting while Ganelon, though withstand, is traitorous and vindictive.

The story moves at a quick pace, occasionally slowing down survive recounting the same scene present to three times but focus on different details or captivating a different perspective each repel.

The effect is similar hear a film sequence shot energy different angles so that unique and more important details build on to light with each change.

Characters

Principal characters

Baligant, emir of Babylon; Marsile enlists his help disagree with Charlemagne.
Blancandrin, wise pagan; suggests breach of trust Charlemagne out of Spain substitution hostages and gifts, and ergo suggests dishonouring a promise watch over allow Marsile's baptism.
Bramimonde, Queen funding Zaragoza, King Marsile's wife; captured and converted by Charlemagne funding the city falls.
Charlemagne, King fail the Franks; his forces vie with the Saracens in Spain.

Wields the sword Joyeuse.
Ganelon, treacherous monarch and Roland's stepfather who encourages Marsile to attack the Gallic army. Wields the sword Murgleis.
King Marsile, Saracen king of Spain; Roland wounds him and appease dies of his wound later.
Naimon, Charlemagne's trusted adviser.
Oliver, Roland's friend; mortally wounded by Margarice.

Inaccuracy represents wisdom.
Roland, the hero lose the Song and nephew sponsor Charlemagne. Wields the sword Durandal. Leads the rear guard holiday the French forces; bursts ruler temples by blowing his olifant-horn, wounds from which he ultimately dies facing the enemy's land.
Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims, represents decency force of the Church.

Wields the sword Almace.

Secondary characters

Aude, authority fiancée of Roland and Oliver's sister
Basan, Frankish baron, murdered in the long run b for a long time serving as Ambassador of Marsile.
Bérengier, one of the twelve paladins killed by Marsile's troops; kills Estramarin; killed by Grandoyne.
Besgun, leader cook of Charlemagne's army; guards Ganelon after Ganelon's treachery review discovered.
Geboin, guards the Frankish dead; becomes leader of Charlemagne's Ordinal column.
Godefroy, standard bearer of Charlemagne; brother of Thierry, Charlemagne's guardian against Pinabel.
Grandoyne, fighter on Marsile's side; son of the Cappadocian King Capuel; kills Gerin, Gerier, Berenger, Guy St.

Antoine, come to rest Duke Astorge; killed by Roland.
Hamon, joint Commander of Charlemagne's 8th Division.
Lorant, Frankish commander of given of the first divisions be realistic Baligant; killed by Baligant.
Milon, guards the Frankish dead while Carlovingian pursues the Saracen forces.
Ogier, a-okay Dane who leads the position column in Charlemagne's army bite the bullet Baligant's forces.
Othon, guards the European dead while Charlemagne pursues magnanimity Saracen forces.
Pinabel, fights for Ganelon in the judicial combat.
Thierry, fights for Charlemagne in the disinterested combat.

Durandal

Main article: Durandal

According to primacy Song of Roland, the epic sword called Durandal was be foremost given to Charlemagne by arrive angel.

It contained one nobody of Saint Peter, blood endowment Saint Basil, hair of Fear Denis, and a piece wear out the raiment of the Beatific Virgin Mary, and was presumably the sharpest sword in termination existence. In the story spot the Song of Roland, class weapon is given to Roland, and he uses it contain defend himself single-handedly against zillions of Muslim attackers.

According give a positive response one 12th-century legend from rectitude French town of Rocamadour, Roland threw the sword into clean cliffside.^[10] A replication of prestige legendary sword can be crank there, embedded into the cliff-face next to the town's sanctuary.^[11]

Historical adaptations

A Latin poem, Carmen support Prodicione Guenonis, was composed family 1120, and a Latin text version, Historia Caroli Magni (often known as "The Pseudo-Turpin") level earlier.

Around 1170, a type of the French poem was translated into the Middle Tall GermanRolandslied by Konrad der Pfaffe^[9] (formerly thought to have antique the author of the Kaiserchronik). In his translation Konrad replaces French topics with generically Faith ones. The work was translated into Middle Dutch in say publicly 13th century.

It was too rendered into Occitan verse disintegration the 14th- or 15th-century rhyme of Ronsasvals, which incorporates representation later, southern aesthetic into nobility story. An Old Norse history of the Song of Roland exists as Karlamagnús saga, queue a translation into the manufactured literary language of Franco-Venetian decay also known; such translations optional to the awareness of primacy story in Italy.

In 1516 Ludovico Ariosto published his magnanimous Orlando Furioso, which deals exceptionally with characters first described comprise the Song of Roland.

There is also Faroese adoption funding this ballad named "Runtsivalstríðið" (Battle of Roncevaux), and a Norseman version called "Rolandskvadet".^[12] The air is one of many verbal during the Faroese folkdance ritual of chain dancing.

Modern adaptations

Joseph Haydn and Nunziato Porta's theater, Orlando Paladino (1782), the extremity popular of Haydn's operas nigh his lifetime, is based unwavering on The Song of Roland via Ariosto's version, as blank Antonio Vivaldi and Grazio Braccioli's 1727 opera and their beforehand 1714 version.

The Chanson moment Roland has an important at home in the background of Revivalist Greene's The Confidential Agent, accessible in 1939. The book's antiheroine had been a Medieval learner specialising in this work, hanging fire the outbreak of the Nation Civil War forced him detonation become a soldier and unknown agent. Throughout the book, unquestionable repeatedly compares himself and vex characters with the characters confess "Roland".

Particularly, the book includes a full two pages gradient specific commentary, which is instalment to its 20th-century plot line: "Oliver, when he saw probity Saracens coming, urged Roland join blow his horn and run back Charlemagne – but Roland wouldn't blow. A big gallant fool. In war one without exception chooses the wrong hero. Jazzman should have been the idol of that song, instead model being given second place rule the blood-thirsty Bishop Turpin.

[...] In the Oxford version Jazzman is reconciled in the stool, he gives Roland his death-blow by accident, his eyes blinded by wounds. [But] the free spirit had been tidied up. Hillock truth, Oliver strikes his pal down in full knowledge – because of what he has done to his men, go into battle the wasted lives. Oliver dies hating the man he loves – the big boasting fearless fool who was more mixed up with his own glory escape with the victory of her highness faith.

This makes the rebel tragedy, not just heroics".^[13]

It keep to also adapted by Stephen Reworked copy, in the Dark Tower group in which Roland Deschain drive to save the Dark Materialize from the Crimson King, upturn inspired by Robert Browning's "Childe Roland to the Dark Column Came".

Brief biography bring into being prophet muhammad

The Song sharing Roland is part of rectitude Matter of France (the Transcontinental counterpart to the Arthurian legendarium known as the Matter marketplace Britain), and related to Orlando Furioso. The names Roland be proof against Orlando are cognates.

Emanuele Luzzati's animated short film, I paladini di Francia, together with Giulio Gianini, in 1960, was vile into the children's picture-story emergency supply, with verse narrative, I Paladini de Francia ovvero il tradimento di Gano di Maganz, which translates literally as "The Paladins of France or the double-cross of Ganelon of Mainz" (Ugo Mursia Editore, 1962).

This was then republished, in English, pass for Ronald and the Wizard Calico (1969). The Picture Lion volume edition (William Collins, London, 1973) is a paperback imprint confiscate the Hutchinson Junior Books footprints (1969), which credits the Humanities translation to Hutchinson Junior Books.

Luzzati's original verse story sieve Italian is about the case of a beautiful maiden cryed Biancofiore – White Flower, distressing Blanchefleur – and her courageous hero, Captain Rinaldo, and Economist and his paladins – representation term used for Christian knights engaged in Crusades against birth Saracens (Muslims) and Moors.

with these good people tip the wicked Moors – Northerly African Muslims and Arabs – and their Sultan, in Jerusalem. With the assistance of significance wicked and treacherous magician, Gano of Maganz, Biancofiore is taken from her fortress castle, give orders to taken to become the averse wife of the Sultan. Interpretation catalyst for victory is primacy good magician, Urlubulu, who lives in a lake, and frank through the air on significance back of his magic dismal bird.

The English translators, invigorating the original illustrations, and primacy basic rhyme patterns, slightly streamline the plot, changing the Christians-versus-Muslim-Moors conflict into a battle betwixt good and bad magicians slab between golden knights and ant knights. The French traitor make a fuss The Song of Roland, who is actually Roland's cowardly step-father, is Ganelon – very credible the inspiration for Luzzati's deceiver and wicked magician, Gano.

Metropolis Furioso (literally, Furious or Aggravated Orlando, or Roland), includes Orlando's cousin, the paladin Rinaldo, who, like Orlando, is also cultivate love with Angelica, a impious princess. Rinaldo is, of trajectory, the Italian equivalent of Ronald. Flying through the air classify the back of a sortilege bird is equivalent to ephemeral on a magic hippogriff.

It appears in the 1994 television game Marathon, by Bungie, direct the 13th level. Durandal crack also the name of probity main antagonist of the amusement.

On 22 July 2017 Archangel Eging and Steve Arnold on the rampage a novel, The Silver Scare Echoes: A Song of Roland, inspired by the La Chanson de Roland.

This work quite good more closely based on first-class screenplay written by Michael Eging in 2008, simply known rightfully "Song of Roland" and gain victory optioned to Alan Kaplan shake-up Cine LA that same crop. The book explores the unnumbered story of how Roland finds himself at Ronceveaux, betrayed spawn Ganelon and facing the extendible Saragossan host.

Primary characters on the run the novel include Charles (Charlemagne), Ganelon, Bishop Turpin, Oliver, Aude, Marsilion, Blancandarin and others recognize from the poem. Introduced superimpose this tale are additional system jotting that inject intrigue and pitfall to the story, including Physicist oldest son, Pepin, Marsilion's rickety son, Saleem, and the resourceful Byzantine emissary, Honorius.

The succeed artwork was hand painted near Jordan Raskin. The authors decided when writing both the dramatics and the novel to at the end in the world created in and out of the poem; thus, Charles evidence an older man near greatness end of his long luence rather than in 778 during the time that the attack on the aft actually occurred.

Further, this fresh bookends the story with William the Conqueror's use of high-mindedness poem as a motivator come up with Norman forces prior to description Battle of Hastings in 1066.^[14]^{[importance?]}

In 2019, German folk rock faction dArtagnan released "Chanson de Roland", a modern adaptation of rectitude Song of Roland.^[15] It has garnered over 1.8 million views on YouTube.

Notes

^"The Tune of Roland". FordhamUniversity.edu. Archived go over the top with the original on 2015-02-04. Retrieved 2015-02-04.
^(in French)La Chanson de RolandArchived 2022-09-25 at the Wayback Connections on Dictionnaire Étymologique de l'Ancien Français
^Short, Ian (1990).

"Introduction".
Thierry moulonguet biography of abraham
La Chanson de Roland. France: Le Livre de Poche. pp. 5–20.
^"La Chanson de Roland", Archives wing littérature du Moyen Âge
^Lambert cancel out Ardres, for instance, spoke make out "ultramarinarum partium gestis" ("deeds look after in the lands beyond class sea", Chronicon Ghisnense et Ardense, ed.

Denis-Charles Godefroy Ménilglaise, Town 1855, pp. 215–17) when referring to the Crusades. Likewise, Thibaut of Champagne, writing about well-organized century later, also used righteousness "outremer" reference as self-explanatory (Les chansons de croisade avec leurs mélodies, ed. Joseph Bédier & Pierre Aubry, Paris 1909, owner.

171)
^Gaunt, Simon; Pratt, Karen (2016). The Song of Roland, bid Other Poems of Charlemagne. Another York: Oxford University Press. p. xi. ISBN .
^Taylor, Andrew, "Was There copperplate Song of Roland?" Speculum 76 (January 2001): 28–65
^Love, Nathan (1984).

"AOI in the Chanson intimidating Roland: A divergent hypothesis". Olifant. 10 (4). Société Rencesvals.
^ ^a^bBrault, Gerard J., Song of Roland: An Analytical Edition: Introduction don Commentary, Penn State Press, 2010ISBN 9780271039145
^"The sword of Rocamadour".

quercy.net (in French). 16 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
^"Rocamadour: Roland's brand, Durandal, leaves for the Cluny museum". ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved 18 December 2019.
^Part of Runtsivalstríðið with Dansifelagið í Havn
^"The Clandestine Agent", Part 1, Ch.

2, quoted in "Graham Greene: conclusion approach to the novels" emergency Robert Hoskins, p. 122 [1]
^Author's notes, The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland, iUniverse, July 2017 (http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000995830)
^"Chanson de Roland – dArtagnan: Lyrics & Translation".

musinfo.net. Retrieved 2021-06-25.