Galiens li Restorés
Encyclopedia
Galiens li Restorés or Galien le Restoré or Galien rhétoré (in English
, roughly: "Galien the Restituted"), is an Old French
chanson de geste
which borrows heavily from chivalric romance
. Its composition dates anywhere from the end of the twelfth century to the middle of the fourteenth century. Five versions of the tale are extant, dating from the fifteenth century to the sixteenth century, one in verse and the others in prose. The story -- which is closely linked to the earlier chansons de geste Pèlerinage de Charlemagne
and The Song of Roland
(especially in the latter's rhymed version) -- tells of the adventures of Galien, son of the hero Olivier
and of Jacqueline, the daughter of the (fictional) emperor Hugon (Hue the Strong) of Constantinople
.
Galien, with its voyages and romance elements, enjoyed a strong success in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance and largely eclipsed The Song of Roland in public taste.
, and helps Roland
and Charlemagne
rout the Saracen
s. Later, he saves his mother from treacherous uncles and becomes emperor of Constantinople.
in which are grouped other works concerning the feats of the descendants of Garin (Girart de Vienne
, Olivier, Galien, etc.). The verse version (the "Cheltenham manuscript") is in alexandrine
s grouped in rhymed laisse
s; one of the two other compiled versions is in manuscript form, the other is in a printed edition (c.1502-11).
The remaining two versions of the tale have only the Galien tale; one of these is the printed edition of 1500, later reprinted with a different ending in 1525.
Surviving editions:
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, roughly: "Galien the Restituted"), is an Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
chanson de geste
Chanson de geste
The chansons de geste, Old French for "songs of heroic deeds", are the epic poems that appear at the dawn of French literature. The earliest known examples date from the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries, nearly a hundred years before the emergence of the lyric poetry of the trouvères and...
which borrows heavily from chivalric romance
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
. Its composition dates anywhere from the end of the twelfth century to the middle of the fourteenth century. Five versions of the tale are extant, dating from the fifteenth century to the sixteenth century, one in verse and the others in prose. The story -- which is closely linked to the earlier chansons de geste Pèlerinage de Charlemagne
Pèlerinage de Charlemagne
Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne or Voyage de Charlemagne à Jérusalem et à Constantinople is an Old French chanson de geste dealing with a fictional expedition by Charlemagne and his knights. The oldest known written version was probably composed around 1140...
and The Song of Roland
The Song of Roland
The Song of Roland is the oldest surviving major work of French literature. It exists in various manuscript versions which testify to its enormous and enduring popularity in the 12th to 14th centuries...
(especially in the latter's rhymed version) -- tells of the adventures of Galien, son of the hero Olivier
Olivier (The Song of Roland)
Oliver , sometimes referred to as Olivier de Vienne or de Gennes, is a fictional knight in the Matter of France chansons de geste, especially the French epic The Song of Roland...
and of Jacqueline, the daughter of the (fictional) emperor Hugon (Hue the Strong) of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
Galien, with its voyages and romance elements, enjoyed a strong success in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance and largely eclipsed The Song of Roland in public taste.
Plot
Galien seeks out his father Olivier at the Battle of Roncevaux PassBattle of Roncevaux Pass
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass was a battle in 778 in which Roland, prefect of the Breton March and commander of the rear guard of Charlemagne's army, was defeated by the Basques...
, and helps Roland
Roland
Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
and Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
rout the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s. Later, he saves his mother from treacherous uncles and becomes emperor of Constantinople.
Editions
Three of the extant versions of the tale (including the one in verse) are part of larger compilations entitled Garin de MonglaneGarin de Monglane
Garin de Monglane, or Montglane, the creation of Conrad von Stöffler in 1280, is a fictional aristocrat who gives his name to the second cycle of Old French chansons de geste, La Geste de Garin de Monglane...
in which are grouped other works concerning the feats of the descendants of Garin (Girart de Vienne
Girart de Vienne
Girart de Vienne is a late twelfth-century Old French chanson de geste by Bertrand de Bar-sur-Aube. The work tells the story of the sons of Garin de Monglane and their battles with the Emperor Charlemagne and it establishes the friendship of the epic heroes Olivier and Roland.The poem comprises...
, Olivier, Galien, etc.). The verse version (the "Cheltenham manuscript") is in alexandrine
Alexandrine
An alexandrine is a line of poetic meter comprising 12 syllables. Alexandrines are common in the German literature of the Baroque period and in French poetry of the early modern and modern periods. Drama in English often used alexandrines before Marlowe and Shakespeare, by whom it was supplanted...
s grouped in rhymed laisse
Laisse
A laisse is a type of stanza, of varying length, found in medieval French literature, specifically medieval French epic poetry , such as The Song of Roland. In early works, each laisse was made up of assonanced verses, although the appearance of rhymed laisses was increasingly common in later...
s; one of the two other compiled versions is in manuscript form, the other is in a printed edition (c.1502-11).
The remaining two versions of the tale have only the Galien tale; one of these is the printed edition of 1500, later reprinted with a different ending in 1525.
Surviving editions:
- containing the cycle:
- the "Cheltenham manuscript" (in verse). La Geste de Montglane. Library of the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
(Eugene, OregonEugene, OregonEugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
). Originally published by Edmund Stengel in 1890 (Marburg). - Guérin de Montglave (sic), printed c.1502-1511.
- Ms 3351 of the Bibliothèque de l'ArsenalBibliothèque de l'ArsenalThe Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal in Paris is one of the branches of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.-History:...
.
- the "Cheltenham manuscript" (in verse). La Geste de Montglane. Library of the University of Oregon
- containing only Galiens:
- Galien rhétoré, printed in 1500.
- Ms1470 ff of the Bibliothèque Nationale de FranceBibliothèque nationale de FranceThe is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
.
See also
- GoogleBooks The Cheltenham manuscript. Le Galien de Cheltenham. David M. Dougherty, Eugene B. Barnes, eds. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 1981.