Roland

The greatest hero in the Frankish legends. He was sort of like a French Heracles, Achilles, Sigurd, Cu Chulainn or Lancelot, a hero of unsurpassed strength and courage.

Roland was the main character of the epic, Chanson de Roland, which recounted the last stand of the Twelve Peers at Rencesvals.

According to the legend, Roland was a nephew of Charlemagne, through the king's sister. Neither his father or his mother's name were given in the Chanson de Roland. Historically, it didn't say that Roland was Charlemagne's nephew. And even more importantly, chanson de geste left out the fact that Charlemagne's real sister never married or had a son; Charlemagne's sister became a nun.

Roland was a Frankish count and a companion of Oliver. Roland was a hero of a number of Old French epics, as well as Italian tales where he was known as Orlando.

Veillantif was the name of his horse. Durendal was his sword and Olivant, his horn. Even in the Arthurian legends, Roland's sword is mentioned, often in comparison with Arthur's sword, Excalibur.

In Chanson de Roland, Roland described the sacred Christian relics that made up the golden hilt of Durendal: a tooth of St Peter, blood of St Basil, and some hair from St Denis. Even a part of the Virgin Mary's raiment. Roland didn't want any Saracen wielding Durendal because he was dying, so he tried unsuccessfully to break the blade. When this failed, he hid the sword and horn beneath him as he lay under a pine tree.

Roland was the one who rejected the idea of Charlemagne making peace with the Saracen king, Marsile, a peace which Ganelon favoured. Ganelon was Roland's stepfather, and there was love between the two men. When Roland proposed that his stepfather should be sent as an ambassador to Marsile, on Charlemagne's behalf, Ganelon conspired with the Saracens in Sargossa to arrange for the ambush of Roland's battalion at Rencesvals.

In the battle at Rencesvals, Roland distinguished himself by killing Marsile's nephew Aelroth and Marsile's son, Jurfaleu the Blond. Roland also severed Marsile's hand, and the Saracen king eventually died at Saragossa.

Only, Roland didn't die with a single wound. When Roland blew his horn (Oliphant) three times, it caused a rupture at his temple and bleeding at the mouth and nose; the loss of blood and his grief that he was the last of his twelve companions to survive, caused his death.

Roland was known in Italy as Orlando, where he was the hero of two popular Italian titles – Orlando innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo (1483), and Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto (1516). Orlando furioso was actually a continuation of Boiardo's work.

The Chanson de Roland only said that Roland was a Frankish count, not a marquis from Brittany, who was killed at Rencesvals. Einhard only mentioned his name once in Charlemagne's biography, Life of Charlemagne, killed with others, particularly that of Eggihard, the King's steward, and Anselm, Count Palatine; there was no mention of the Twelve Peers and no mention of Roland's heroic deeds. Obviously, over time, the events of Rencesvals became legend, and Roland's role in this ill-fated event grew in heroic stature.