Chanson de Roland

shon-son' de rolon', a French epic poem of medieval times. This poem seems, like other folk-epics, to be a collection or composite of popular songs. The Chanson de Gest (shon-son' de zhest), literally song of heroic deeds, was a special form of narrative poem popular in France during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, corresponding to the ballads of old England. These songs were sung or recited by trouveres or minstrels. The Chanson de Roland is a cycle of these songs celebrating the heroic exploits of Charlemagne, and giving especially the story of Roland's death at Roncesvalles in 778, and the revenge taken by Charlemagne upon the Saracens. The French poem contains over 4,000 lines. This song of Roland, as the epic is commonly called, was the most popular heroic song of the Middle Ages. When on his way to conquer England William the Conqueror had parts of it sung at the head of his troops for the inspiration of his soldiers. The gathering together of this cycle of songs is accredited to Turoldus, a Norman trouvere of the eleventh century. Many of the songs date probably from a time little later than the event of Roland's death. See Roland; Epic; Trouvere; Ballad