Chanson de Roland - Codex Oxford

The so-called Oxford Roland is the oldest and most extensive surviving copy of the famous Song of Roland, one of the oldest literary works in the French language. The chanson de geste was probably written by Turoldus in the 11th century and recounts Charlemagne's Battle of Roncevaux Pass. The heroic narrative centers on the captain Roland, who, as leader of the rearguard, was ambushed in 778 and died a dramatic heroic death. The work shaped medieval epic poetry for centuries, and the figure of Roland soon became a trans-regional folk hero. At the same time, it provides a social and political historical testimony to the spirit of high medieval Europe at the time of the Reconquista and the Crusades. It probably spread via pilgrimage routes and military campaigns and was widely translated. The manuscript in the Bodleian Library is the most important source for exploring the origins of this significant medieval epic.