It’s unknown whether Hruodlandus, the captain of the Breton March who died in 778 according to Einhard, was Charlemagne’s nephew.
Based on my observations of people over the last couple of decades, it’s easy to imagine a scenario in which they were unrelated, but the story of Roland was made more compelling by the claim of royal familial connection. In other words, it’s possible that their blood relationship is a fabricated meme that has served to hook the reader (listener) in for over a thousand years.
And isn’t it always the way! I’m enjoying your posts – I read Roland at uni twenty-odd years ago, he has pride of place on my poetry shelf.
Found your blog by looking for my own in a new blogsearch engine. Isn’t that funny.