Romance and Legend of Chivalry

This volume deals with the prose or verse tales styled Romances, as told in one of the Romance languages, being mainly indeed of French origin. Some of them based upon poetic legends that often seem a distortion of historical events, others more consciously woven to pattern from mingled strains of fact and fancy - they all come under a general definition as stories which, with knights for their heroes, illustrate the manners and ideas of medieval chivalry. Fearless and loyal, honorable and courteous, the ideal knight of the Middle Ages was a model for six centuries of European noblemen. At first his deeds were celebrated in verse by the minstrels who entertained the courts of kings. Later they formed the subject of prose romances. Even when the chivalric code had fallen into decay, the stories lived on to inspire new interpretations. The legends and romances in this magical selection reflect a multitude of ages and traditions. From the northern French court of Charlemagne comes the epic of Roland and the battle of Roncesvalles, from Wales and Brittany the tales of King Arthur and the Round Table. Spain is represented by Beltenebros and Esplandian. A lucid and engaging survey of the legends of medieval Europe, this book will appeal to everyone with an interest in the great age of chivalry.