2 - Priest Konrad’s Rolandslied and the Glorification of Charlemagne

Summary

PILGRIMS HAVE always needed housing and food, protection and spiritual uplifting, a fact as true in the medieval period as it is today. For the endless stream of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain, the third-holiest Christian pilgrimage site in the world, the Church in the Middle Ages made much effort to provide material and spiritual support as well as also to gain from them financially. Thriving businesses arose on the long pilgrimage routes traversing France towards the Iberian Peninsula, and the cults of the various saints along the way were of supreme importance for local monasteries and churches, with the abbey of Cluny appearing to have dominated the entire southern French and northern Iberian region in this practice.

Numerous narratives were created that aimed at both religious instruction and entertainment, with perhaps the most impressive example being the Old French Chanson de Roland, the best-known version of which is that of Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms. Digby 23, associated with a clerk named Turoldus and probably composed c. 1100. This epic describes the battle between the rearguard of Charlemagne's army, led by Roland, and their pagan (Saracen) attackers. Charlemagne (Charles) had been fighting in Spain and consolidating his control there when urgent matters called him back north, at which point, according to this literary account, the pagans under the rule of Marsilie used this convenient opportunity to avenge their previous defeat at the hand of the Christians by trying to eliminate the rearguard in an ambush. Furthermore, they prepared to kill Roland and his men to liberate themselves from Frankish rule, as the emperor has already left their country and had appointed Roland as governor. In essence, the poet reflects on the universal conflict between the two world religions while illustrating, of course, the ultimate victory of Christianity as the only true religion.

Marsilie had offered a deal to his opponent, promising to convert to Christianity and to pay a huge ransom in return for the end of the war and the Franks’ return home. The Saracens were, of course, not at all honest in their promise to accept baptism and to enter a vassalic relationship with Charlemagne, so the proposal underscores the Saracens’ military weakness, lack of prowess, untrustworthiness and evil character, in line with the author's religious intentions.