The Chivalry And The Culture Of The High Middle Ages

The Song of Roland is an epic poem based on a battle during the rule of Charlemagne, in the year 778, called, the Battle of Roncevaux. It was composed between 1040 and 1115, the first version being written in 1040, with many additions and edits up until the completion in 1115. The first nine manuscripts of the epic, were written in Old French. The oldest version was written in Anglo-Norman. The Song of Roland is one of the first examples of the chanson de geste, which is a literary form that occurred and flourished between the 11th and 15th centuries. The chanson de geste celebrated legendary deeds that occurred between those centuries. The main question for this essay asks, “How did chivalry and the culture of the High Middle Ages transform
The main historical trend for the High Middle Ages was the rapid increase of population in Europe. The rapid increase of population in Europe brought incredible social and political change, including rural exodus and urbanization, which was very different from the era that came before, known as, the Renaissance of the 12th century.
Chivalry was a moral, religious and social code of knightly and courtly conduct. It would emphasize honor, courage, and service of knights, it would also refer to an idealized life and their manners while among their court. Chivalry was initially used for warriors on horseback, and then later became known as a term for the code of conduct for knights. There were three different types of chivalry in the Middle Ages known as: duties to countrymen, duties to God, and duties to women. The three would often intertwine and would be hard to distinguish the
He was Charlemagne's nephew, and favorite peer of France. Roland was a skillful and extremely strong warrior. His sometimes-showy boldness and his great popularity with the Franks and his number of successes on the battlefield start to bring up the anger and hatred of Ganelon, who happens to be Roland’s stepfather, who arranges the ambush of the Saracens at Roncesvals. Roland dies a martyr's death at Roncesvals and is directly taken up to Paradise by saints and angels. Charlemagne is the perfect Christian King, also known as the King of the Franks, of the time. It is thought that because Roland and Charlemagne were so close, that Roland was close with the Franks. Olivier was known as a gallant warrior, and was also one of the twelve peers of France, along with Roland. Olivier was Roland’s best friend, and was his opposite. "Roland is bold, Olivier is wise, and both of them are marvelously brave" (87.1093-1094). During the Battle of Roncesvals, Olivier notices the Franks will be overwhelmed by the mass number of Saracens and urges Roland to blow his Oliphant and return back to Charlemagne for help. Roland is too proud to ask for help and retreat, which in turn angered Olivier, but the two resolved their issues before dying, remaining the greatest and most tender of companions. With Roland being too proud to ask for help, it is showing his warrior chivalry with duties to his