La Chanson de Roland

*La Chanson de Roland* is an epic medieval French poem that recounts the heroic last stand of Roland, a knight and nephew of Charlemagne, during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778. It celebrates themes of loyalty, bravery, and Christian faith as Roland faces overwhelming enemy forces, refusing to blow his horn to summon help until it's too late. The poem exemplifies chivalric ideals and the valorization of national and religious identity, reflecting the culture and values of 11th-century France through vivid storytelling and poetic grandeur.