To begin, The Song of Roland was used at the time of the Holy Wars and Crusades as a source of inspiration and spirit for the people of France (Taylor 50). Roland, at the time, was considered to be the “model of chivalric virtues according to the Church” (Dominik 6). Scholars, such as Ludovic Vitet, have agreed that The Song of Roland became a symbol of the spirit of the French people (Taylor 35). …show more content…
The Song of Roland is based on the history behind the battle of Roncevaux in the year 778, as well as the Crusades and the Holy Wars (Dominik 2). Roland was considered to be a celebrated individual during the time of the First Crusade. The existence of Roland himself is not known, nor can it be proven at this time, due to lack of sufficient evidence (Dominik 6). Scholars have found little to no evidence that The Song of Roland is based on factual information. Since this epic was passed on by the word of mouth via minstrels, some of the important information could have been lost (Taylor