The Song of Roland is in a loose sense historical, yet its concerns are not for sober recollection of long-ago deeds or meticulous scrutiny of evidence. Rather, the song uses the setting of Charlemagne’s wars against the Umayyads to expound on the natures of bravery, love, friendship, wisdom, faith, and justice. It is part of a broad genre of epic, historical, narrative poems that are collectively called chansons de geste (“songs of deeds”).
