the battle of roncevaux pass served as the setting of the story of the song of roland.
the battle of roncevaux pass served as the setting of the story of the song of roland.
what battle serves as the setting of the story of the song of roland?
battle of roncevaux pass
over the years, this battle was romanticized by oral tradition into a major conflict between christians and muslims although in fact, the basques of the period were mainly pagans and charlemagne had been allied to some of the muslims. in the tradition, the basques are replaced by a force of 400,000 saracens, and mythical objects such as durendal and oliphant were also added. although roland died in the battle with little information about him, the battle popularized him as a chivalric hero of honor in the middle ages. "the song of roland", which commemorates the battle, was written by an unknown poet of the 11th century. it is the earliest surviving of the "chansons de geste" or epic poems of medieval france in the "langue d'oïl", in what would become the french language. together with the knights of the round table in britain, the story of roland and the paladins have become the archetypal icons of chivalry in europe; greatly influencing knightly culture and inspiring many christian warriors that came after. during the battle of hastings in 1066, knights and soldiers under william the conqueror, chanted the poem to inspire themselves before their fight with the anglo-saxons. the english expression, "to give a roland for an oliver", meaning either to offer a "quid pro quo" or to give as good as one gets, which is referenced directly from the companionship of roland and oliver during the battle. one example was said during the combat of the thirty in 1351; a judicial combat between two groups of knights during the breton war of succession. the knights were described by the french author jean froissart as "if they had been all rolands and olivers," which admired their honor and companionship in battle. memorials have also been erected to commemorate the battle, such as the roncesvalles pass monument in navarre, spain. roland's breach, situated in the ordesa y monte perdido national park, is a gap thought to have been caused by roland while fighting. at the summit of the roncevaux pass are the remains of an early chapel of san salvador also known as charlemagne's chapel and the charlemagne monument built in 1934; both built to commemorate the emperor's campaign in the region.
battle of roncevaux pass
convoy og 74 sailed from britain on 13 september 1941. a week later on 21 september the convoy was attacked by a german condor bomber, whose bombs struck the convoy rescue ship . a fighter from the "audacity" was able to shoot down the bomber. the damage to the "walmer castle" was extensive, and she had to be sunk by an escorting corvette.









































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convoy hg 74 sailed from gibraltar on 2 october and arrived at the clyde on 17 october. the trip was uneventful.









































bullet::::- og 76
hms audacity