Home is in sight

Roncevaux Pass, Pyrenees, 15 august 778

The Battle of Roncevaux Pass has gone down in history as one of the few defeats of Charlemagne’s reign. Returning from the failed invasion of Spain, the Carolingian army were retreating through the Pyrenees when they suffered a surprise attack by the Basques. It was a disaster for the king, as his rearguard was cut off from the rest of the army and slaughtered as they fought back. The battle has gone down in Medieval legend thanks to the epic poem

The Song of Roland, which romantically recalls the tale of the military commander, Roland, and his heroic last stand. Following even more hours of marching the army could see the mountains of the Pyreenes. It signalled not only the border between Spain and France, but that home was getting even closer for the tired soldiers. Charlemagne had ordered for some garrisons to be left behind to secure the territory so that the soldiers could cross through to France safely. The Song of Roland remains a seminal work of French literature