After repeated Muslims strikes, only 1,000 Christians defenders were left standing. Despite having 40,000 people, the Muslims were afraid to attack the last of the Crusaders. The Muslims did advance eventually, and Roland claimed that a wounded archbishop single-handedly killed 400 Muslims before dying. Roland too is killed after fending off 400 Muslims himself. Charlemagne then sent an army of Christians commanded by Marsilie to defeat the Muslims force.
Marsilie’s soldiers were defeated, and they lost 20,000 men. Consequently, Marsilie handed Spain over to the Muslim commander, who vowed to defeat Charlemagne. Charlemagne returned to the battlefield, where he found Roland’s body and lamented his death. Embittered by the loss, Charlemagne buries the 20,000 slain Christians, and promises that his kingdom will enact revenge.
Charlemagne had an army of 335,000 men against the massive Arab force of 3.5 million. The Arriving Muslims come on 4,000 ships with thousands of people on each ship. It seemed impossible to defeat the waves of attackers, but God intervened to save Charlemagne and France. The Arabs fled and Charlemagne gained control of all of Spain. 100,000 Muslims in Spain converted and Marsilie died.
Furthermore, the trial of Ganelon began and he and 29 of his relatives were executed. An angel told Charlemagne that he had another battle to win against the infidels.
The poem “Song of Roland” was a call to war against Islam, and was used during the Crusades in the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. The poem was supposed to be about pride, death, and sacrifice.
Frederick Barbarossa (1122-1190) was emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. During his reign, he tried to take control of Italy and reunite the old Roman Empire. Consequently, Pope Alexander III (r. 1159-1181) formed defensive alliance with the Lombards. Emperor Fredrick’s forces invaded Italy and burned Milan to the ground; however, they were later defeated. Interestingly, Frederick and the Pope reconciled and even became allies after the war.
After Frederick Barbarosa’s death in 1190 two families vied for power over the empire, with Otto I taking the crown in 1209. Emperor Otto I defied the Pope by invading Southern Italy, which caused the Pope to seek to instate Frederick II, Frederick Barbarossa’s son. Frederick II did later become emperor and agreed to the Pope’s demands of allying with the Vatican. Even though Emperor Frederick II promised to let alone Sicily and Southern Italy, he annexed it into the Holy Roman Empire, and proceeded to plunder area’s Byzantine Orthodox churches and monasteries.
Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was so focused on gaining Italy that he made concessions to German princes. This capitulation would ultimately lower his power back home. In 1227, Frederick II was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX, since he allegedly stirred up hatred against the Pope. In response, Frederick expelled all friars from Sicily and threatened to hang any people who came to him with papal documents. Pope Gregory IX called for a council in Rome in 1241, but Frederick II arrested all the bishops trying to attend the council. Finally, Gregory’s successor, Pope Innocent IV, held a council in Lyons where he ordered Frederick II to be deposed.
Territories of the Holy Roman Empire at the time of Frederick II’s death in 1250.
After Frederick II’s death in 1250, the Holy Roman throne was not held for 20 years. In 1273, Rudolf I became emperor but wasn’t able to fully centralize the empire because the princes had acquired too much power under Frederick II. Therefore, Southern Italy was not reclaimed, and its territory was divided up between the Papal States or other independent city states.
During the late Middle Ages, there was a revival of old ways of entertainment, such as the Goliards, a wandering gang of poets who wrote songs about wine, women, and fun. There was also a resurgence of public dramas and plays, similar to the old Roman ones. But people also created new theatrical performances, such as events from the Bible. In towns and cities across Europe, people set up outdoor theaters, resembling old Roman amphitheaters. The “Song of Roland” was one of these stories and was prominent in Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries.
Drawing of the Seven Levels of Hell.
Writer Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) penned the “Divine Comedy,” a three-part series about paradise, purgatory, and hell. The famous section of the “Divine Comedy” about hell, known as “Dante’s Inferno,” helped secure the “Divine Comedy” as a masterpiece of Western Literature. He wrote that Satan sits in ice, and is constantly chewing on Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus. Dante states there are seven levels of hell with different levels of sin for each one.
The “Song of Roland,” was a poem written sometime around 1100, that tells the story of a band of crusaders fighting the Muslims conquers in Spain. The poem is a call to confrontation with Islam, and retained its popularity as the Crusades continued. At the start of the poem, a Christian named Ganelon betrays Charlemagne by divulging to the Muslims a way to attack the undefended rear of their army. The Muslim king and Ganelon swear an oath and the king pays Ganelon. After this, Charlemagne appoints a formidable leader, Roland to lead the army.
As 400,000 Muslims are approaching, Roland’s army sounds thousands of trumpets, but he is not scared. Oliver tells Roland to sound the warning three times to Charlemagne, who refuses to retreat because he wants to preserve French honor and his own honor. The poem says that 20,000 Franks defeated a wave of 100,000 Muslims, then 7,000 trumpets announce the second wave of Muslim attackers. Outraged by the assault, Roland tells his men that they will not let Ganelon’s treason go unpunished.
All 12 of Roland’s peers are killed one by one, but each death is avenged with Muslim blood. The Muslims began to run and the Franks kept pursuing them, ultimately killing 4,000 of them. Only 60 Franks remained alive, so Roland decides to blow the trumpet one final time, and the Christians attack. The small band of remaining Franks send the massive Muslim army running. However, Oliver dies.
The “Song of Roland” was performed frequently throughout the late Middle Ages during plays on stages. It was immensely popular during this time and was a battle cry for the Christian armies fighting against Muslim invaders.
