The Battle Of Charlemagne's Song Of Roland

Charlemagne was a medieval emperor who ruled western Europe. Around the year 771, he became the king of the Franks, which consisted of different Germanic tribes in Europe. During his reign, he had a specific goal. His goal was to unify all the Germanic tribes into one kingdom and to convert his enemies into Christians. He battled against the territories that were under Muslim rule. As a skilled strategist, he pushed the Muslim rule in Europe further away. Between the years 777-778, Charlemagne began his expedition in Spain. He felt that the Muslim army posed a threat to the Frankish province of Aquitaine. Charlemagne led his army over the Pyrenees mountains into Spain. The Franks won battles and eventually took Basque, which was a Christian city. However, his army could not take Saragossa. With the difficulty of obtaining Saragossa, Charlemagne’s withdrew in the year 778. The military campaign in Spain would later influence the poem, The Song of Roland. The short poem was about Charlemagne’s nephew Roland. Roland fought during the Spanish campaign who died in battle when the Franks began to withdraw from Spain in 778. After the year 779, the Franks tried to take Spain from the Moors. They fought through …show more content…
In exchange to peace, King Marsile will promise treasure and convert to Christianity if the Franks go back to France. Roland, offers Ganelon, his stepfather, to be the messenger. This enrages Ganelon and decides to inform the Saracens to ambush Charlemagne’s army being led by Roland. Roland’s army end up fighting the Saracens, however they are outnumbered. As a last resort, the Oliphant is blown as a last resort, “Roland set the Oliphant to his lips. He takes a firm grip of it and blows it with all his might” (Song of Roland, 85). Charlemagne’s army arrives and chases the fleeing Muslims. Ganeleon is kept in chains until trialed. They find him guilty and is therefore