#80 What is the Myth of Roland?

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Your faithful writer,
Dr. Daniel Smith

We all know the story of King Arthur and his sword, Excalibur.

The trope of the ‘sword in the stone’ is one of the best-known medieval myths, conjuring up mystical visions of knights and ladies-in-lakes.

Last week, it was revealed that another legendary sword named Durandal was stolen from the stone where it had been embedded for hundreds of years in the southern French village of Rocamadour.

It is unclear who took the sword, which was held in place with a chain to prevent thieves. (See below)

Today’s newsletter will explore the history of that sword and the myth of its onetime owner, the legendary French knight Roland.

The story of Roland plays a big part in the historical mythology of France, with poet Archibald Rutledge saying:

Here’s a bit of context: Roland was a knight who served under the Frankish king Charlemagne.

The Franks were an early-medieval Germanic ethnic group who took over much of Western Europe during the 7th, 8th, and 9th centuries. (see the map of Frankish expansion — and, ultimately, fragmentation — below)

Charlemagne was the greatest Frankish leader, and he is seen by many Frenchmen as the godfather of their country.

Roland fought under Charlemagne, ultimately dying in a battle against the Basque people at Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 788.

The myth of Roland grew when a popular poem called the Song of Roland (La Chanson de Roland in French) was produced around the year 1040.

The epic poem evolved over time, becoming a major influence on the French knights who fought in the First Crusade (1096-1099).

According to the song, an angel gave the magical sword Durandal to Charlemagne.

After Roland received the enchanted sword, he used it to single-handedly kill thousands of his enemies.

Roland met his end when he was ambushed at Roncevaux Pass. With his last breath, he blew his horn to summon Charlemagne and the rest of his army to finish the fight.

As the Middle Ages went on, new generations of story-tellers and writers reworked the Song of Roland.

The character of Roland reappeared in medieval and Renaissance European literature, with references to the Frankish knight being made in Dante's Divine Comedy and Cervantes’ Don Quixote.

Composers Joseph Haydn and Antonio Vivaldi even produced operas based around the Song of Roland in the 18th century.

What about the sword? The village of Rocamadour has allegedly been home to the sword-in-the-stone for hundreds of years.

The monks of the village — which also has a famous monastery — claim that Roland left the sword in the stone himself so that his enemies couldn't take it.

The village’s mayor said:

It’s obvious that the stolen sword wasn’t actually Roland’s. If it had really been there for 900 years, as some locals claim, it would have turned to rust centuries ago.

The actual explanation of where the sword came from is less interesting: historian Richard Barber claimed that a local lord had the “Durandal” sword placed there around the year 1788 to attract tourists.

Still, the myth of Roland and his magical sword has power in itself — even if the stolen sword didn’t actually belong to the Frankish knight.

Foundational myths like the Song of Roland or the Arthurian Legend played a big part in connecting people to their national identity throughout the Middle Ages and up until today.

These epic tales are more than just stories; they are cultural artifacts that offer deep insights into the ideals of chivalry, honor, and heroism that shaped European societies.

ART OF THE DAY

Thank you for reading. Please reply to this email if you have any thoughts or feedback.

Yours,
Dan