Blancandrin
Encyclopedia
In The Song of Roland
, Blancandrin is the instigator of the pagan plot against Roland
and Charlemagne
. He first appears in the final line of the second stanza of the poem as the only pagan who speaks to give King Marsile
counsel, and is then described as the wisest of the pagans and a good and worthy knight, which are uncommon sentiments when describing the 'Saracens' throughout the poem. He suggests that Marsile accept the Christian faith and become a vassal of Charlemagne, as well as offering many gifts and the nobles' sons as hostages for execution if the Frank leaves Spain for Aix. He then acts as messenger to Charlemagne.
Blancandrin escorts Ganelon
to Marsile (stanzas 28-32) and acts as go-between for the two men (35 and 38). He is not subsequently mentioned.
The Song of Roland
The Song of Roland is the oldest surviving major work of French literature. It exists in various manuscript versions which testify to its enormous and enduring popularity in the 12th to 14th centuries...
, Blancandrin is the instigator of the pagan plot against Roland
Roland
Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
and Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. He first appears in the final line of the second stanza of the poem as the only pagan who speaks to give King Marsile
King Marsile
Marsile is a character in The Song of Roland. He is the pagan king of the Saracens. He first appears in Stanza 1 as losing the war against Charlemagne, and asks his barons for counsel...
counsel, and is then described as the wisest of the pagans and a good and worthy knight, which are uncommon sentiments when describing the 'Saracens' throughout the poem. He suggests that Marsile accept the Christian faith and become a vassal of Charlemagne, as well as offering many gifts and the nobles' sons as hostages for execution if the Frank leaves Spain for Aix. He then acts as messenger to Charlemagne.
Blancandrin escorts Ganelon
Ganelon
In the Matter of France, Ganelon is the knight who betrayed Charlemagne's army to the Muslims, leading to the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. His name is said to derive from the Italian word inganno, meaning fraud or deception....
to Marsile (stanzas 28-32) and acts as go-between for the two men (35 and 38). He is not subsequently mentioned.