The Song of Roland

Roland des Roncesvalles is a legendary knight from the age of chivalry in France In the 11thcentury epic La Chanson de Roland he is depicted as a key figure in halting the advance of the Arabs into France In this story the 10thcentury legend is staged by a group of 12thcentury pilgrims using the 11thcentury poem Their acting is interrupted by a violent peasant uprising which kills many of the pilgrims However one of the survivors is converted to the peasant cause and later speaks out in favor of more just treatment for the downtrodden