Background to the name
Durendal - in
English
Roland was a semi-legendary French
knight, the hero of the 11th century Chanson de
Roland. He was the most celebrated of the Paladins
of Charlemagne and is said to have been the nephew
of Charlemagne, and the ideal of a Christian knight.
The only evidence for his historical existence is a
passage in Einhard's Life of Charlemagne, which
refers to Roland as having fallen at Roncesvalle in
778. Roland used a magic sword called Durendal.
Legend says that with a blow Durendal, he opened a
pass in the Pyrenees known today as Breche de
Roland. Roland feels himself dying; he tries to
destroy his sword Durendal, so that it not fall into
the wrong hands, and fails.
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