1. Roland is poetically associated with his sword Durendal, his horse Veillantif, and his oliphant horn.
13 Facts About Roland
1. 2.
The only historical mention of the actual Roland is in the Vita Karoli Magni by Charlemagne's courtier and biographer Einhard.
3.
Roland's army passed through the Pyrenees and [Charles] received the surrender of all the towns and fortified places he encountered.
4.
Roland was returning [to Francia] with his army safe and intact, but high in the Pyrenees on that return trip he briefly experienced the Basques.
5.
Roland was evidently the first official appointed to direct Frankish policy in Breton affairs, as local Franks under the Merovingian dynasty had not previously pursued any specific relationship with the Bretons.
6.
Roland was turned into a popular and iconic figure of medieval Europe and its minstrel culture.
7.
The tale of Roland's death is retold in the 11th-century poem The Song of Roland, where he is equipped with the olifant and an unbreakable sword, enchanted by various Christian relics, named Durendal.
8.
The Song contains a highly romanticized account of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass and Roland's death, setting the tone for later fantastical depiction of Charlemagne's court.
9.
Roland appears in Quatre Fils Aymon, where he is contrasted with Renaud de Montauban against whom he occasionally fights.
10.
In Norway, the tales of Roland are part of the 13th-century Karlamagnus saga.
11.
In Germany, Roland gradually became a symbol of the independence of the growing cities from the local nobility.
12.
The city was established by German immigrants, many of them refugees from Nazi Germany, who named their new home after Roland to represent freedom.
13.
Roland serves as one of the protagonists of the South Korean video game Library of Ruina, with many elements taken from his appearances in Orlando Innamorato and Orlando Furioso.