Roland & Oliver, King Charlemagne
OVER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, King Charlemagne hosted a grand festival in Paris to celebrate his military victories. One of the knights who came was old Count Gerard, one of the most powerful barons of France. He had come to pay tribute for his estate at Viana and hoped that for his lifetime of loyal service, Charlemagne would grant him one more estate, this one at Burgundy.
However when Count Gerard stooped to kiss the King's foot, as was the custom those times, he stumbled. His lips brushed the foot of the Queen, who was sitting by the side of Charlemagne. The knights who stood around started to laugh but hushed at once when the King rose in anger.
"If you think you are going to be granted the estate of Burgundy, you are sadly mistaken!" he roared. "That will be reserved for a younger and more courteous knight. Content yourself with the estate of Viana until you learn better manners, Count Gerard!"
"If you think you are going to be granted the estate of Burgendy, you are sadly mistaken!" he roared.
The Count boiled over with rage. "This is nothing but a shabby excuse to deny me Burgundy!" he cried. "I will no longer pay tribute to this court!" He turned on his heel, strode out of the palace, his men following him. He mounted his horse and they all set out with all speed for Viana.
Knowing full well that the King would likely attack his stronghold castle in Viana for the affront, Count Gerard knew he needed to prepare his family and court for what could be a long siege.
Indeed, King Charlemagne did just that. He and his forces embarked on a great siege by surrounding Count Gerard's castle at Viana. Charlemagne vowed that he would never leave or give up until the proud Gerard was humbled in the dust before him. For long weeks the King's forces allowed no one to come in or go out. Yet so well supplied was the garrison with all kinds of food, drink, and comforts needed for life that those inside cared but little of the blockade.
For long weeks the King's forces allowed no one to come in or go out.
Both the King's army and Count Gerard's followers took every opportunity to annoy one another. If one of Charlemagne's warriors dared approach too close to the castle walls, they were driven back by a shower of arrows from crossbows. If the men of Viana ventured outside the gates or beyond the moat, Charlemagne's horsemen drove them back at the point of the lance.
Weeks and months passed. Still the wearisome siege continued. Some say that Charlemagne was encamped around Viana for seven months; others say it was seven years. During the siege, the whole country for miles on every side was laid waste. What had once been blooming meadows, fields and gardens was now trodden into a desert. The vineyards were destroyed, the orchards cut down, the houses of the country folk burned and destroyed. Great indeed was the distress caused by this quarrel between the King and Count Gerard.
Yet both King Charlemagne and Count Gerard remained steadfast. All winter long Charlemagne's men sat by their campfires and guarded the entries to Viana. By spring, the woods began to brighten with greenish hues and flowers sprang up in the meadows and birds sang soft and sweet.
Yet both King Charlemagne and Count Gerard remained steadfast.
Many knights started to think their time was wasted in this fruitless war against one of their own countrymen. They longed to ride away in quest of other, more worthy adventures. The King tried hard to press the siege and bring it to a speedy close, but in vain.
One day a party of unknown knights rode into the King's camp. They brought troubling news. The King of Spain, they said, had crossed the Pyrenees Mountains into southern France. He was bringing fire and sword and distress to the land. Unless Charlemagne and his forces left right away, the rich southern provinces of Aquitaine and Gascony could be lost!
King Charlemagne was much troubled when he heard this news. He called together his advisors. All declared at once in favor of ending the siege of Viana and finding some sort of peace with Count Gerard. They must march without delay against the invaders. But Charlemagne could not abandon his vow.
King Charlemagne was much troubled when he heard this news.
"Which is better?" one duke asked cautiously, "to forsake a vow that made sense at the time but no longer is the most pressing matter, or to keep the vow and then surrender a precious part of our homeland to invaders?"
"Perhaps," said another duke, "the present business might be brought to a close another way. Let two knights be chosen, one from each side. Let the combat between them decide the question between you and Count Gerard, once and for all."
Charlemagne and his advisors were much pleased with this plan. A messenger with a truce flag was sent into the fortress to propose the plan to Count Gerard. Inside the castle of Viana, the men were likewise arguing with each other on how best to end the stalemate. They were tired of fighting the King and what's more, their food supplies and provisions were dwindling and would soon run out. And so they very gladly agreed to the terms.
And so they very gladly agreed to the terms.
Charlemagne and his advisors selected Charlemagne's valiant nephew Roland to represent the side of the King. Count Gerard selected his grandson, the formidable Oliver, to represent his interests.
Early the next morning, King Charlemagne's nephew Roland was ferried over to an island in the river Rhône where Oliver was already waiting. A signal was given. The two knights put spurs to their horses and dashed toward each other with the fury of tigers and the speed of the wind. The long lances of each warrior shivered as it struck the opposing shield, but neither opponent was moved from his place in his saddle. Quickly they dismounted and drew their swords.
For more than two hours, the two knights parried. Thrusting and striking, neither gained an advantage over the other. At last however, Oliver's sword broke after striking Roland's helmet with a too-hearty blow. Oliver's shield, too, was split from top to bottom. Left with no weapon to defend himself, Oliver made up his mind to die fighting, and he stood ready to fight with his fists. Roland was pleased to see such pluck.
For more than two hours, the two knights parried.
"Friend," he said, "great is your pride, and I love you for it. I may be the nephew to the King of France and his champion today, but great shame would be upon me if I were to slay an unarmed man. Choose for yourself another sword and a more trusty shield, and meet me again as my equal."
So Oliver bade his squires to bring him another sword from the castle, and Roland sat down upon the grass and rested. Three swords were ferried over to Oliver, and the knight chose one of them. Roland rose from the grass and the fierce fight began again. Never were weapons wielded with greater skill. The sun rose high in the heavens, and still each knight stood firmly in his place, thrusting and parrying, striking and warding, and gaining no advantage over his foe. After a time, however, Roland struck his sword with such a force into Oliver's shield that he could not withdraw it.
Now it was Oliver's turn to face an unarmed enemy. "My worthy foe," said he, "it is not our fate for one of us to vanquish the other through the use of swords and shields. Let us decide this matter hand to hand." He threw his own sword and shield aside, and the two of them rushed together to seize each other and to throw one another down.
Now it was Oliver's turn to face an unarmed enemy.
Moved by the same thought, each snatched the other's helmet and lifted it from his head. At that moment they stood there, bareheaded and face to face. Perhaps it was something they recognized in one another's eyes, perhaps a ray of light settled down between them, but at once they rushed into one another's arms. "It makes no sense for us to fight," said Roland. "When there is so much good we could do together," said Oliver, finishing the same thought in both of their minds.
Great was the wonder of King Charlemagne and his advisors, and equally great was the astonishment of Oliver's kinsmen, the Vianese of Count Gerard's castle. Knights and warriors from both sides of the river hastened to cross to the island. They were eager to know the meaning of conduct seemingly so unknightly. But when they came nearer they saw the men, who had fought each other so long and so valiantly, now standing hand in hand and pledging their faith as brothers-in-arms. And with one voice all joined in declaring that both were equally deserving of the victory.
King Charlemagne's heart was touched by the spectacle.
King Charlemagne's heart was touched by the spectacle.
"Count Gerard of Viana," he cried, "all this trouble between you and me is ended and forgotten. If you have harmed me, I freely forgive you. No penny of taxes shall you pay for land or castle. I ask only that your pledge of loyalty be restored."
Then Count Gerard ungirt his sword from his side and uncovered his head, and knelt before the King. He placed both his hands between those of the King and said, "From this day forward I become your man of life and limb, and of all worldly reverence, and unto you I will be loyal and true. To no other lord will I grant obedience."
Then the King raised him gently from the ground and kissed him. He answered, "Count Gerard of Viana, tomorrow your service and that of your men will be due in the honorable war to defend our southern border. But tonight, I will sup with you in your lordly castle of Viana."
Then the other knights in service of Count Gerard, in the order of their rank, came and knelt before the King. Each in his turn promised his loyalty and gave his pledge to fight for the King. And the King forgave each one.
And the King forgave each one.
Great was the wonder of the Viannese when they saw the King enter their halls, not as the prisoner but as the friend and guest of the Count. And great, indeed, was the joy when it was known that peace had been made and that the wearisome siege was at an end. In the broad feast hall a rich banquet was spread, and the night was devoted to feasting, music and merrymaking.
From the moment they refused to continue fighting each other, Roland and Oliver were inseparable. Wherever they went, they lived together as close friends for the rest of their lives.
