The Nature of War in the 8th Century: A comparative analysis of The Song of Roland and History of the Conquest of Spain

During the 8th century, the Muslims were expanding their empire, and in the 7th century, they managed to strategize the best way to take over Northern Africa and southern Europe. According to Western Society: A Brief History, “In 711 a Muslim force crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and easily defeated the weak visgothic king.” The Muslim ended up taking over most of Spain, and for a short time, Muslims and Christians lived together peacefully. Then some animosity arose between the Muslims and Christians. The Muslims felt superior to European countries and felt that Europe had little to offer by showing their lack of interest in their culture, language, and customs. Christians felt threatened by the Muslims because of their expansion, and they felt that the Muslim culture would contaminate the Christian ways and teachings. This animosity grew into bitter gall, and eventually led to war. By comparing The Song of Roland to History of the Conquest of Spain, this paper focuses on the Muslim invasion of Spain in 711 CE with a particular emphasis on the nature of warfare.

In the book, The Song of Roland, translated by Glyn Burgess, it discusses the Franks fighting the Muslims in Spain in the city of Saragossa. The Franks are offered gold and the promise of converting to Christianity if they go back to France, and Charlemagne’s army accepts the offer. Roland then picks Ganelon, who is also his step father to go be the messenger to go back to Marsilla’s court to tell him of the arrangement. While he travels with the Saracens, he discovers a plan of revenge against Roland because he has always envied and hated him. He tells the Saracens on how they can ambush and attack Charlemagne’s army, which would be led by Roland and the Fran...

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...ain favors a Muslim. So with the biased nature of both stories, further research is obviously required if one would like to separate fact from fiction in each book.

Works Cited

Abd-El-Hakem, Ibn. History of the Conquest of Spain. Trans. John H. Jones. London: Williams

& Norgate, 1858.

Dominik, Mark. “Holy War in The Song of Roland: The "Mythification" of History.” Stanford

Undergraduate Research Journal. http://surj.stanford.edu/archives/2003-04HolyWar.html

(accessed March 29, 2011).

Mckay, Hill, Buckler, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks. Western Society: A Brief History. Vol 1.

Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010.

__________. The Song of Roland. Trans. Glyn Burgess. London: Penguin Books, 1990.

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Song of Roland.” SparkNotes LLC. n.d..

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/songofroland/ (accessed March 29, 2011).