LKOEMD8
122
UOINDS
- Real! di Francia " of Andrea dc' Magnabotti. Much
legendary mateiial is also found in chronicles, like those of the above-mentioned monk of St. Gall, of the monk of Saintonge, of Alberic do Trois Fontaines (c. 1250), of Philippe Mousket (c. 1241), and the German chronicle of Enenkel.
What is related of Charlemagne in these soim^es is a medley of fact and fiction. The story of his parents, Pepin the Short and Bertha (in ** Berte aux grands pieds"), is the familiar theme of virtue slandered but m the end vindicated. To escape the persecutions of his bastard brothers, Charles takes refuge in Toledo with the heathen king Galafre, whose daughter Gali- enne he marries, after he has punished his wicked brothers and regained his father s kingdom ("Charle- magne", "Karuneinet", "Karleto^ "Cronica gen- eral"). Possibly this reflects hbtoncal events from the period of Charles Martel, who was of illegitimate birth, and experienced difficulties in his accession to the tnrone. At anv rate, Pepin and Berthn are his- toric personages. Wholly fabulous, however, is the story of the pilgrimage imdertaken by the emperor and his peers to the Holy Land, whence they oring back the Passion relics, which were deposited in the Qiurch of St. Denis. Probably the legend arose in connexion with these relics, which were actually pre- sented by the Patriarch of Jerusalem about 800.
In the poems and romances that deal with the wars of Charlemagne in Spain [(778) " Chanson de Roland "] and Italy [(773) ^Ogier", "Fierabras", "Aspre- mont "] the principal r61e is assigned not to Charles, but to his paladins (Roland, Olivier, Turpin) or vassals (sons of Aimon, Ogier). The Saxon wars have left little trace in French poetry [Bodel's "Saisnes" (c. 1200), and an older *' Guitalin , known only from the Norse version in the "Karlamagnussaga"]. In Ger- many their memory is preserved by many a legend concerning the heroic Widukind (Wittekind). In French versions the conversion of the Saxon chieftain is represented as insincere and of short duration, in German legend, on the contrary, it is glorified by mir- acle. While Widukind in the disguise of a beggar at- tends the Easter celebration in the Prankish camp, he sees the image of the Christ-Child at the moment of the elevation of the Host during Mass, and his conversion is the result (Grimm, "Deutsche Sagen", 448). In a narrative of the life of the Empress Mathilde (974) Widukind is made to fight in single combat with Charles, and on being defeated turns Christian. The French version also knows of this combat, but here Guiteclin is killed. The name of Frankfort (the ford of the Franks) is explained by a German legend which relates how the hani-pressed Franks were saved by a hind that showed them a place where they could cross the River Main in safety (Grimm, op. cit., 449).
In the older French epics, devoted to the glorifica- tion of royalty, Charlemagne is represented as the in- carnation of majestv, valour, and justice, the cham- pion of God's Churcfc against the infidel. In the later epics, the so-called feudal rpop^e ("Ogier", "Renaud de Montauban", "Doon de Mayence", etc.), which reflect the historic struggles of the monarchy with tur- bulent vassals, the great emperor appears in quite a different light, as a vindictive tyrant and unjust op- pressor. Nor does he appear to advantage in the vari- ous legends that tell of his love affairs, among which is the well-known German legend of his attachment to a dead woman due to the magic power of a jewel hidden in her mouth. This legend was localized at Aachen. A courtier who had gained possession of the talisman dropped it in a hot spring. Henceforth the emperor felt an irresistible love for this spot and caused Aachen to be built there.
Through French me<liation the Carlovingian ro- mances came to other nations. In England, Caxton publishe<l " The Lyfe of Charles the Crete " (1485) and The four sonnes of Aymon" (I486). Lord Bemers
translated "Huon of Bordeaux" in 1534. In Ger^
many the "Rolandslied" of Konrad der Pfaffe. the
poem of Strieker (thirteenth century), the "Karl-
meinet" (fourteenth century), and the chap-books of
the fifteenth century, in Scandinavia the " Karlamag-
ni!i8saga" (c. 1300), in the Netherlands numerous
translations like "Carel ende Elegast" show the
spread of the Charlemagne legend. In Italy, it was
especially favoured. There it inspired the Franco-
Italian epics and the bulky romance of Magnabotti,
and culminated in the famous chivalric epics of Bci-
ardo and Ariosto.
Paris, Ilialoire poHiqme de CharUmagne (Paris, 1805; 2nd ed., 1905); L6on Oautxsb, Let Epopieg fran^xiues. III (2iid cd., Paris, 1888-1897); GafiBER in (frundriaa der romani*chen Phitoloate, II (Strasburg, 1902). 1. 461-469; 538-552; Becker. Orundrisa der altfranxoaitehen Lileratur. I (HoidelbexSi 1907), 62-92. Many ot the legends, particularly those current in German^', are found in Grimm, ueutsche Sagen (4 th ed., Berlin, 1905) , nos. 22, 26-28, 437^54. See also KOoel. OeBchiehU der deutaehen LUteratur, 1 (Strasbuxg, 1894). pt. II. 220-230.
Roland, — Of the paladins, usually twelve in number, with whom legend surrounds Charlemagne, the most famous is Roland, whose heroic death forms the theme of the "Chanson de Roland" (c. 1080). This poem relates how the rear-^uard of the Frankish army, re- turning from a victonous campaign against the Sara- cens in Spain, is treacherously surprised by the enemy at Roncevaux, and how Roland, OUvier^ and Turpin, after incredible deeds of valour, are slain before the emperor arrives to bring help. The events narrated here have a historical basis; the battle of Roncevaux (Roncesvalles) actually took place on 15 August, 778. According to Einhard (Vita Caroli Magni, IX) the Frankish rear-guard was cut to pieces by Basque marauders, among the slain being Hruodlandus, pre- fect of the Alarch of Brittany. In the poem the defeat is laid to the treason of Ganclon; the vengeance which the emperor exacts from the enemy and the punish- ment of the traitor are vividly narrated. The legend represents Roland as Charlemagne's nephew, the son of the emperor's sister Bertha and of Duke Milo of Aglant. The story of their romantic love, their quar- rel with the emperor, and their ultimate reconciliation to him figures prominently in Italian versions ("Reali di Francia"). Roland is a paraxon of knightly virtue. Quite young he distinguishes himself in wars against the Saracens in Italy (*' Aspremont") and the Saxons, in both campaigns saving his uncle from tlu*eatened disaster.
In Italian literature Roland becomes the chief hero of the chivalric &pop^e represented at its best by Pulci's "Morgante maggiore" (1482), Boiardo's "Or- lando innamorato (I486), and Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso" (1516). In Spain the tradition underwent a complete change; the defeat of the Franks was re- garded as a Spanish victory, and the real hero of Ron- cevaux is the national champion, Bemaldo del Carpio. Roland's opponent. The German poem of Konraa
der Pfaflfe nas been mentioned al)Ove.
Paris, op. cit., 250-285, 406^14, 415; see also his essay Ron- cevaux in L^endes du moyen dge (Paris, 1903), 1-63.
Genevil've (Genove/a) of Brabant. — This legend may be discussed in connexion with the Carlovingian cycle, inasmuch as the events therein related are usually as- signed to the eighth ccnturv, to the period of the wars of Charles Mart<;l against tfie Saracens. It has for its theme the familiar stor}' of persecut<?d innocence, and is therefore closely akin to the legends of Griseldis, Hil- de^rd, Hirlanda of Brittany, and other heroines of suffering. According to the usual version, Genevidve Is the wife of the Count Palatine Siegfried, residing in the region of Trier. When he is call^ away on an ex- pedition against the infidels, he entrusts his wife and castle to the care of his major-domo Golo. Inflamed with sinful passion, Crolo makes advances to the coun- tess, and on being repulsed, falsely accuses her to her ttl )sent lord of adultery. The count sends word to put
