![]() Despite his foreboding, he appoints Roland to the rear-guard which will stay at Roncevaux Pass to protect the army’s homeward retreat. Satisfied, Charlemayn departs with his army, but he has troubling dreams of treachery. When Ganelon returns to Charlemayn’s camp, he persuades the emperor to return home to France, and that Marsilion will soon journey to Aix to pledge himself as Charlemayn’s vassal. When Ganelon meets King Marsilion, he persuades the king to launch an ambush of the rear-guard of Charlemayn’s retreating army, which Ganelon knows will contain Roland. Roland’s nomination of Ganelon infuriates Ganelon, and on his way to Saragossa, he plots with Blancandrin to kill his stepson. ![]() ![]() Charlemayn agrees to accept the envoys’ offer and sends Ganelon as messenger at Roland’s suggestion. Roland’s stepfather, Count Ganelon, urges Charlemayn not to trust Roland. The only exception is Count Roland, Charlemayn’s nephew, who argues for war. His trusted barons concur that the pagans are probably plotting something. The deliberative Charlemayn broods over Marsilion’s offer, not sure if the pagan king can be trusted. Marsilion’s messengers find Charlemayn celebrating a recent victory at Cordova. Marsilion’s advisor, Blancandrin, suggests that he send an envoy promising eventual submission to Charlemayn and conversion to Christianity. Marsilion, for his part, fears that he can’t conquer Charlemayn. So far, however, he has not conquered the city of Saragossa, an outpost of Islam (which the poet categorizes as a form of paganism) that’s ruled by King Marsilion. The French Emperor Charlemayn has occupied Spain for seven years.
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