Tussen feit en fictie - Over Roelants wapenschild en een Zuid-Vlaams ontstaansmilieu voor de Middelnederlandse Fierabras
Mike Kestemont
In 1860, Blommaert edited a manuscript fragment, found in the municipal archives of Bourbourg. The fragment offers unique text witness Middle Dutch Carolingian epic, nowadays known as Fierabras. Just before breaks off, discusses shield (escutcheon) epical heroes Roland and his father Milon, bearing red lion rampant on field gold. 1937, Knuttel recognized this heraldic detail an unambiguous allusion to arms counts Holland. Ever since, researchers believe Bourbourg-text have been written for court Holland, being one sparse testimonies interest nobility north took patronizing chivalric literature. Our investigations, however, seem counter view. Members House Gavere, south Flanders, variant Roland’s by end thirteenth century, claiming descendance from comrade-in-arms epic hero. This legend root southern Flemish illumination around 1300. It will be demonstrated that Flanders – region Gavere is equally likely context composition Bourbourg-text, offering much more plausible explanation dialect its poet.
Nederlandse letterkunde