The Song of Bernardo

by Master Richard the Poor of Ely

It is not often that a military defeat becomes the stuff of legend. One
such case is the Battle of Roncesvalles in 778, in which a small body
of French troops under the command of Roland were utterly wiped out by
Spanish forces. This was immortalized by the French in The Song of
Roland, but that is only one side of the story.

Bernardo del Carpio was the son of the Count of Saldana and Dona
Jimena, who was the sister of King Alphonso the Chaste.  Alphonso was
not happy with the marriage of his sister to someone not of royal
blood, so he had the Count imprisoned and blinded.  Having no children
of his own, Alphonso invited Charlemagne into Spain and made him an
offer: in return for driving out the Moors, Alphonso would name him
heir. The nobility, led by Bernardo, were obviously upset.

Charlemagne liked the idea, but after a reasonably successful
expedition he was tricked into leaving an inadequate rear guard.
Hoping to win freedom for his father, Bernardo attacked them at
Roncesvalles and won an amazing victory.

Not to be outdone by the French, the Spanish have their own set of
ballads commemorating the event. Here are a few verses from the
translation of J.G. Lockhart depicting Bernardo's raising of a
militia:


"With three thousand men of Leon, from the city Bernard goes
To protect the soil Hispanian from the spear of Frankish foes
From the city which is planted in the midst between the seas
To preserve the name and glory of old Pelayo's victories..

'Free we were born,' tis thus they cry, 'though to our king we owe
The homage and the fealty behind his crest to go;
By God's behest our aid he shares, but God did ne'er command
That we should leave our children heirs of an enslaved land.

At least King Charles, if God decrees he must be Lord of Spain,
Shall witness that these Leonese were not aroused in vain;
He should bear witness that we died as lived our sire of old,
Nor only of Numantium's pride shall minstrel tales be told."

The story does not end happily. Alphonso dithered about releasing the
Count. Bernardo joined the Moors, hoping to force him into action.
Alphonso agreed to the release, but secretly had the Count killed.
After the funeral, Bernardo faced Alphonso and told him exactly what he
thought of him, then


"....Bernard turned upon his heel, and smiling passed away;
Long rued Alphonso and his realm the jesting of that day."


from the May 1997 Seahorse