Throughout the French epic, the Song of Roland occupies a special place. The main characters of this story are real historical figures. France itself was not then - feudal relations were just taking shape. But there was a mighty empire of the Franks led by Charlemagne. In the territory of modern Spain (which was also not yet a state), the emperor waged a religious war with the Moors. The war was quite successful, and by the beginning of the events set out in the "Song ..." only one kingdom of Zaragoza remained unchained, where Marsilius, who worships Muhammad, ruled. Charlemagne had only one step to take to capture Zaragoza.
The plot of the work
But the knights' frankness of the Franks is opposed by their opponents to a cunning plan. The council of the wisest of the Saracens, led by King Maurice, introduces an intrigue - this is described in the Song of Roland. The summary tells about the Moor Blancandrin, the Wahl-Fund Castellan, who recommended that his king achieve peace by luring the emperor Charles to the Cathedral of Aachen, supposedly to be present at the baptism of the king of Mauritius.
The game began with the sending by the king of Zaragoza as a gift of a rich caravan of seven hundred camels and four hundred mules with gifts: gold and silver.
Marsilius obviously intended to capture Charles (it should have happened on St. Michael's Day). At the same time, he, as a chess player, sacrificed the hostages granted to the Franks.
At stake is peace and continued rule. The “author of the project”, the cunning Blankandrin, is appointed to lead the Saracen Embassy.
The tactics of the Saracen ambassador are summarized. The Song of Roland reveals his plan: firstly to convey misinformation to the king, and secondly, to try to find an influential traitor among the Franks. He copes with these tasks. In the scene of the meeting of the ambassadors, “Song” gives a picturesque picture of the magnificent, respectable environment of Charlemagne, seated on a magnificent throne in a beautiful garden.
The emperor of the francs is in no hurry to answer. He sends ambassadors, and he collects the nearest vassals for advice.
The first to take the word is Count Roland, the king’s nephew. He claims that Marsilius is dishonest and vile. Why did he suddenly become peaceful? Indeed, on his hands there is already the blood of the peaceful ambassadors of the counts of Basil and Bazan. Is this not enough? The knight calls on the king to immediately declare a campaign against Zaragoza and logically end the war against the Saracens as a victory.
On the council of vassals of the king, Ganelon convinces us that the Moorish king wants peace - a brief summary tells us. The Song of Roland reveals the hidden essence of Ganelon. The proud nobleman envies Roland, because he is the favorite of Charlemagne and the permanent commander of the Franks army.
The cunning Ganelon knows that many barons are tired of continuous battles and are not averse to rest. This is what he uses. The royal cavalry commander, Baron Nemon of Bavaria, recommends that the king listen to the speeches of Ganelon and wait for the Moors on St. Michael's Day in Aachen. Roland's offer is rejected. The king directs Ganelon at the head of the embassy to the Moors.
Ganelon, who set off on an embassy mission, "accidentally" meets Blankandrin and conducts secret negotiations with him - a brief summary shows us. “The Song of Roland” depicts in all the ugliness the betrayal of Ganelon, who wants to destroy Roland. The scoundrel describes the castellan of the young count as the main threat to the Saracens, convincing him of the need to kill him. Saracen agrees with him.
Arriving at Tsar Marsilius, the treacherous Ganelon also sets him up against his adopted son, playing on greed with the following argument: after the adoption of Christianity, the king of the Moors will get half of Spain, but the king will give Roland the other half. Moreover, Roland, whose talent is in the war, will certainly continue to clarify relations with Marsily even after the conclusion of peace.
Marsilius thanks the traitor for his assistance and pledges Spanish castles as a gift to him, while the wife of the count from the treasury grants jewels.
Meanwhile, Charles’s tired army leaves home from Spain. The king leaves to keep order in the conquered territories of Roland (on the advice of Ganelon). The brave knight agrees to stand for France and the Sovereign, even if the Lord would have left only him alone to guard the gorge. His faithful war brothers remain with the young count: Gauthier, Jerin, Odon, Olivier, Archbishop Turpin. A tear rolls down from the eyes of the emperor of the Franks, he gives the pet his bow.
Feat of Roland
After the departure of Karl’s army, Roland’s detachment descends into the gorge. In this maneuver from the hill, Roland and his faithful knight Olivier see the approaching army of the Saracens. However, the brave count decides to accept the battle and defeat the infidels. About the courage of the Franks, with the battle cry "Manzha" attacking exceeding the forces of the enemy, a brief summary tells. "The Song of Roland" convincingly paints knightly battle scenes. Brave Moors. But with regard to the courage of the French knights, it seems that they are fundamentally alien to the sense of self-preservation. Enemies' losses are numerous, but fresh forces are constantly coming to the Saracens. Repeatedly repeated by the brave Olivier, the request addressed to Roland - to blow the horn in order to call for help the army of Charlemagne was received too late. The hero blows when bloody foam rolls off his lips. The king of the francs hears the call and unfolds the army.
Roland, the surviving, with the faithful knight Olivier do the impossible: the attacked enemy’s battered vanguard attack together, the selected soldiers guarding the headquarters of the Saracen king are defeated, the hero cuts off the brush to Marsilius himself, kills the prince and son of the Saragossan king. In this last battle, the Moors kill his friend Olivier with a spear in the back.
Hearing the hum of the earth - the approach of the main forces of the Franks, the enemies flee. Roland is left alone on the battlefield. He, undefeated, leaning on his loyal sword Durendal, exhausted falls to the ground. Here the hero, lying exhausted physically and morally (by the loss of friends), is struck in the back by the Moor who crept behind. The army of the Franks arrived in time inflicts a crushing defeat on the Saracens.
Further. Emperor Karl judges the traitor Ganelon, who, using the knighthood code, requires proof of the truth in battle. From the side of Charles, the mighty Thierry will fight. Self wounded, Thierry defeats the opponent. The death of the traitor Ganelon is terrible: he is tied by the arms and legs to the horses and driven mad animals into the water. Charlemagne is inconsolable.
Was Roland right in the fact that when he first saw hordes of Saracens, he did not blow the horn? If you argue from the point of view of everyday common sense, then no. But this situation is irrational, if you imagine that the hero is not an ordinary tradesman. After all, even before the fateful battle for himself, he risked his life many times for the sole purpose of gaining fame that would remain in the memory of his descendants. The last battle ended with Roland's victory over the retreating enemy, and his heroic death forever brought him to the French epic.