The Song of Roland: Wealth, Armor, and Warrior Culture Insights

The epic poem The Song of Roland provides significant insights into the material culture of a warrior society during the 10th and 11th centuries, a period just before the widespread construction of cathedrals. It depicts an idealized rural economy where monetary circulation is absent. Instead, wealth is acquired through capture, gifts, or exchange.

Wealth and Property

Wealth primarily consists of real property, specifically land holdings referred to as "fiefs." This is exemplified when Ganelon, facing a perilous mission to Saragossa, tells Charlemagne, "I am your sister's husband. Have a son by her, the finest boy there is. Baldwin, says he, who will be a good man. To him I leave my honors, fiefs and lands." The term "honors" here is synonymous with lands, signifying an intrinsic connection between a nobleman and the soil. A noble title often encompassed both the name of a castle and the associated land.

While money was not the primary medium of exchange, goods did circulate. Ganelon recounts an instance where Roland, still in his hauberk after plundering near Carcassonne, appears before the emperor. This highlights the practice of acquiring wealth through raiding.

Roland's Generosity and Ambition

Roland is portrayed as an ambitious figure, desiring to make "every nation beg for his mercy and claims a right to every land on earth." Ganelon questions who would support such an aim, to which he answers that the men of France, who love Roland, would never fail him. This loyalty is fostered by Roland's generosity, as he bestows "gifts, masses of gold and silver, mules, battle horses, brocaded silks, supplies." This generosity is presented as aligning with the emperor's desires, with the ultimate goal of conquering lands "from here to the Orient."

Movable Goods and Valuables

Beyond fixed assets like land (reflected in the French word for real estate, immobilier), there were various movable goods. "Cattle" in English is linked to the French word for furniture, meuble, or "movables." An image from the late 15th century illustrates the treasure Ganelon receives from Saragossa as a reward for his betrayal, showcasing the importance of such booty. Another miniature from Jean Wauquelin's mid-15th-century translation of the chronicle of Ano further depicts these valuable possessions.

The Value of Arms

Above all, wealth was significantly represented by arms. These could be bestowed by a lord upon a vassal or acquired as war plunder. In the world of The Song of Roland, the value of arms cannot be overstated; they were akin to what Marxists termed "the means of production."

Around 1100, a knight's basic body armor, a hauberk or coat of mail, weighed an estimated 10 to 12 kilograms (22 to 27 pounds). Its cost was equivalent to three war horses or 12 cattle. Both the hauberk and a sword each represented approximately 200 hours of a blacksmith's labor. The complete armor, including the horse, was valued at 20 to 25 cattle.

By 1250, this equivalent had risen to 40 or 50 cattle. In the 14th century, the weight of a coat of armor increased to 25 to 30 kilograms (55 to 65 pounds), and even more for armor designed to protect against arrows and partially against crossbow attacks. Specialized jousting armor from the 15th century could weigh 50 to 60 kilograms (110 to 130 pounds).

The Aesthetic of Armor

The Song of Roland also reveals an aesthetic appreciation for armor, particularly the way gold and gems gleamed amidst the chaos of battle. As the Saracens prepare for the attack at Roncesvalles, they arm themselves in their hauberks, most of which are lined with triple mail. They don their "good helms of Saragossa," gird on swords forged in Vienne, and carry rich shields and spears from Valencia, adorned with white, blue, and red pennons. They then mount their war horses, leaving their mules and riding horses behind. The description emphasizes the visual spectacle: "The day was fair, the sun was shining bright, all their armor was a flame with light."