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Durandal
Durendal, also spelled Durandal, is the sword of Roland, a legendary paladin and partially historical officer of Charlemagne in French epic literature. It is also said to have belonged to young Charlemagne at one point, and, passing through Saracen hands, came to be owned by Roland. The sword has been given various provenances. Several of the works of the Matter of France agree that it was forged by Wayland the Smith, who is commonly cited as a maker of weapons in chivalric romances. Etymology The name Durendal arguably begins with a French ''dur-'' stem, meaning "hard". Thus Rita Lejeune argued it may break down into ''durant'' + ''dail'', renderable in English as "strong scythe" or explained in more detailed to mean "a scimitar or scythe which holds, up, resists, endures". Gerhard Rohlfs suggested ''dur'' + ''end'art'' or "strong flame". The name may also connote the meaning of "enduring". The '' Pseudo-Turpin'' explains that the name "Durenda is interpreted to mean it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
La Chanson De Roland
''The Song of Roland'' (french: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century ''chanson de geste'' based on the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 AD, during the reign of the Carolingian king Charlemagne. It is the oldest surviving major work of French literature. It exists in various manuscript versions, which testify to its enormous and enduring popularity in Medieval literature, Medieval and Renaissance literature, Renaissance literature from the 12th to 16th centuries. The epic poem written in Vulgar Latin is the first and one of the most outstanding examples of the ''chanson de geste'', a literary form that flourished between the 11th and 16th centuries in Medieval Europe and celebrated legendary deeds. The date of composition is put in the period between 1040 AD and 1115 AD; an early version began around 1040 AD with additions and alterations made up until about 1115 AD. The final text contains about 4,000 lines of poetry. Manuscripts and d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aspremont (chanson De Geste)
''Chanson d'Aspremont'' (or simply ''Aspremont'', or ''Agolant'') is a 12th-century Old French ''chanson de geste'' (before 1190). The poem comprises 11, 376 verses (unusually long for a ''chanson de geste''), grouped into rhymed laisses. The verses are decasyllables mixed with alexandrines. In this tale, the African Saracen king Agolant and his son Aumon (Almons,, passim. Eaumond) invade Calabria and defy Charlemagne (Charles) through their messenger Balan (vv. 1ff; 604ff). Charlemagne's troops come to fight them, but Charlemagne's nephew Roland is not allowed to join the battle due to his young age (referred to as "Rolandin", he is not considered a full adult). The armies reach Aspremont, and Charlemagne's paladins Naimes and Girart d'Eufrate prove their worth. Roland joins the battle by arming himself with a rod ( fro, tronçon) and mounting a horse (vv. 4969–71), and later commandeering Duke Naime's horse Morel (vv. 5749–5755). Charlemagne fights Aumon in single combat, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agolant
Agolant or Agolante is a fictional character in Medieval and Renaissance romantic epics dealing with the Matter of France, including ''Orlando innamorato'' by Matteo Maria Boiardo and '' Orlando furioso'' by Ludovico Ariosto. He is a Saracen king from Africa. The character appears in the '' Historia Caroli Magni'', sometimes known as the ''Pseudo-Turpin Chronicle'', a 12th-century Latin forged chronicle of legendary material about Charlemagne's alleged conquest of Spain. In this text, Agolant, briefly, reconquers Spain from Charlemagne. In the subsequent war, several miracles occur, including flowers sprouting from the lances of the knights. Another war has Agolant invading south-western France and besieging the city of Agen, but he is forced to retreat to Pampeluna (Pamplona). In a last war, Charlemagne's great army sieges Pampeluna. After the death of Agolant, Charlemagne's troops pursue the Saracens through Spain. Agolant is a central character in the late 12th century ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basil Of Caesarea
Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great ( grc, Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, ''Hágios Basíleios ho Mégas''; cop, Ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ; 330 – January 1 or 2, 379), was a bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He was an influential theologian who supported the Nicene Creed and opposed the heresies of the early Christian church, fighting against both Arianism and the followers of Apollinaris of Laodicea. His ability to balance his theological convictions with his political connections made Basil a powerful advocate for the Nicene position. In addition to his work as a theologian, Basil was known for his care of the poor and underprivileged. Basil established guidelines for monastic life which focus on community life, liturgical prayer, and manual labor. Together with Pachomius, he is remembered as a father of communal monasticism in Eastern Christianity. He is considered a saint by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roland
Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was military governor of the Breton March, responsible for defending Francia's frontier against the Bretons. His only historical attestation is in Einhard's ''Vita Karoli Magni'', which notes he was part of the Frankish rearguard killed in retribution by the Basques in Iberia at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. The story of Roland's death at Roncevaux Pass was embellished in later medieval and Renaissance literature. The first and most famous of these epic treatments was the Old French ''Chanson de Roland'' of the 11th century. Two masterpieces of Italian Renaissance poetry, the ''Orlando Innamorato'' and ''Orlando Furioso'' (by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Ludovico Ariosto respectively), are even fur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hector
In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, killing countless Greek warriors. He was ultimately killed in single combat by Achilles, who later dragged his dead body around the city of Troy behind his chariot. Etymology In Greek, is a derivative of the verb ἔχειν ''ékhein'', archaic form * grc, ἕχειν, hékhein, label=none ('to have' or 'to hold'), from Proto-Indo-European *'' seɡ́ʰ-'' ('to hold'). , or as found in Aeolic poetry, is also an epithet of Zeus in his capacity as 'he who holds verything together. Hector's name could thus be taken to mean 'holding fast'. Description Hector was described by the chronicler Malalas in his account of the ''Chronography'' as "dark-skinned, tall, very stoutly built, strong, good nose, wooly-haired, good beard, sq ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrea Da Barberino
Andrea Mangiabotti,Geneviève Hasenohr and Michel Zink, eds. ''Dictionnaire des lettres françaises: Le Moyen Age''. Collection: La Pochothèque. (Paris: Fayard, 1992. ), pp. 62–63. called Andrea da Barberino ( 1370–1431''The Cambridge History of Italian Literature'', Peter Brand and Lino Pertile, eds. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996), p. 168.) was an Italian writer and ''cantastorie'' ("storyteller")Ludovico Ariosto, ''Orlando Furioso'', translated with an introduction by Barbara Reynolds (London: Penguin Books, 1975), Part I, Introduction, p. 58. of the Quattrocento Renaissance. He was born in Barberino Val d'Elsa, near Florence and lived in Florence. He is principally known for his prose romance epic ''Il Guerrin Meschino'', his ''I Reali di Francia'' ("The Royal House of France"), a prose compilation (in the form of a chronicle) of the Matter of France epic material concerning Charlemagne and Roland (''Orlandino'') from various legends and chansons de g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Veillantif
Veillantif ( French), Vielantiu (Old French); Vegliantin, Vegliantino or Brigliadoro (Italian) is the name of Roland the paladin's trustworthy and swift steed in the stories derived from the '' chansons de geste''. The French name comes from an expression meaning "vigilant". ''Veillantif'' is first mentioned in ''The Song of Roland'' (v. 2032; laisse 151). Veillantif was given various origins. In the 12th century ''chanson de geste'' '' Aspremont'', the horse is said to have formerly been in the possession of King Agolant's son Aumon. After Aumon's defeat, the horse (and his sword Durendal) was given to Roland. Andrea da Barberino's (1370–1431) Italian prose adaptation ''L'Aspramonte'' stated that the horse was called Briadoro when it belonged to Almonte (Aumon), but renamed Vegliantino after being conquered by Orlandino ("little Roland").: notes to Orlando. Luigi Pulci's (1432–1484) ''Morgante'' refers to the horse as Vegliantino whereas Matteo Maria Boiardo's (1440–14 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olifant (instrument)
Olifant (an alternate spelling of the word elephant) was the name applied in the Middle Ages to ivory hunting horns made from elephants' tusks. One of the most famous olifants belonged to the legendary Frankish knight Roland, protagonist of ''The Song of Roland''. In ''The Song of Roland'', Roland carries his olifant while serving on the rearguard of Charlemagne's army. When they are attacked at the Battle of Roncevaux, Oliver tells Roland to use it to call for aid, but he refuses. Roland finally relents, but the battle is already lost. He tries to destroy the olifant along with his sword Durendal, lest they fall into enemy hands. In the end, Roland blows the horn, but the force required bursts his temple, resulting in death. The '' Karlamagnussaga'' elaborates (V. c.XIV) that Roland's olifant was a unicorn's horn, hunted in India. Another famous olifant belonged to Gaston IV, viscount of Béarn, and is now preserved in the Spanish city of Saragossa, which he helped conqu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saracen
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Petraea and Arabia Deserta. The term's meaning evolved during its history of usage. During the Early Middle Ages, the term came to be associated with the tribes of Arabia. The oldest known source mentioning "Saracens" in relation to Islam dates back to the 7th century, in the Greek-language Christian tract ''Doctrina Jacobi''. Among other major events, the tract discusses the Muslim conquest of the Levant, which occurred after the rise of the Rashidun Caliphate following the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Roman-Catholic church and European Christian leaders used the term during the Middle Ages to refer to Muslims—usually Arabs, Turks, and Iranians. By the 12th century, "Saracen" had become synonymous with "Muslim" in Medieva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Roncevaux Pass
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass ( French and English spelling, ''Roncesvalles'' in Spanish, ''Orreaga'' in Basque) in 778 saw a large force of Basques ambush a part of Charlemagne's army in Roncevaux Pass, a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees on the present border between France and Spain, after his invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. The Basque attack was a retaliation for Charlemagne's destruction of the city walls of their capital, Pamplona. As the Franks retreated across the Pyrenees back to Francia, the rearguard of Frankish lords was cut off, stood its ground, and was wiped out. Among those killed in the battle was Roland, a Frankish commander. His death elevated him and the paladins, the foremost warriors of Charlemagne's court, into legend, becoming the quintessential role model for knights and also greatly influencing the code of chivalry in the Middle Ages. There are numerous written works about the battle, some of which change and exaggerate events. The battle is recoun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary, Mother Of Jesus
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is a central figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, various titles such as virgin or queen, many of them mentioned in the Litany of Loreto. The Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Theotokos, Mother of God. Other Protestant views on Mary vary, with some holding her to have considerably lesser status. The New Testament of the Holy Bible, Bible provides the earliest documented references to Mary by name, mainly in the canonical Gospels. She is described as a young virgin who was chosen by God in Christianity, God to annunciation, conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
