The Song of Roland and the Matter of France (c. 1040–1250)

1. Battle of Roncevaux Pass inspires later legend

   Aug 15, 778Labels: Battle of, Charlemagne, Pyrenees

   • Roncevaux
   • Britannica

2. Song of Roland composed in early medieval form

   Jan 1, 1098Labels: Song of, Old French

   • Wiki
   • Britannica

3. Chansons de geste take shape as epic tradition

   Jan 1, 1100Labels: Chansons de, Feudal duty

   • Britannica
   • Wiki

4. Oxford manuscript preserves earliest surviving Roland text

   Jan 1, 1130Labels: Oxford manuscript, Bodleian MS

   • Bodleian
   • Facsimiles

5. Pseudo-Turpin Chronicle links Roland to pilgrimage culture

   Jan 1, 1130Labels: Pseudo-Turpin Chronicle, Latin chronicle

   • Wiki

6. Pilgrimage of Charlemagne shows Roland’s growing fame

   Jan 1, 1140Labels: Le P, Pilgrimage literature

   • Wiki
   • WikiFR

7. Roland tradition spreads alongside European epic writing

   Jan 1, 1150Labels: Matter of, European epics

   • Britannica
   • Britannica

8. Cycle-building (“cyclisation”) organizes Charlemagne epics

   Jan 1, 1150Labels: Cyclisation, Epic cycles

   • Wiki

9. Girart de Vienne expands and connects Roland’s world

   Jan 1, 1180Labels: Girart de, Bertrand de

   • Girart
   • Wiki

10. Bertrand de Bar-sur-Aube outlines three “gestes”

    Jan 1, 1215Labels: Three gestes, Bertrand classification

    • Wiki
    • Matter

11. Manuscript copying keeps Roland active in new versions

    Jan 1, 1250Labels: Manuscript copying, Chansons de

    • Britannica
    • Wiki

12. Matter of France endures as a lasting romance “matter”

    Jan 1, 1250Labels: Matter of, Romance matter

    • Britannica
    • Matter