Mapping chivalric literature: Renaud de Montauban in Europe

This project explores one of the most fascinating yet understudied figures of chivalric literature: Renaud de Montauban, cousin of Roland and a central character in the Matter of France. From the thirteenth to the eighteenth century, Renaud appears in French, Italian, and Spanish texts, embodying the restless spirit of rebellion that distinguishes him from other Carolingian heroes. Although absent from the Chanson de Roland, he plays a major role across the Carolingian cycle, where his defiance of authority and shifting moral codes offer a unique perspective on the literary, cultural and ideological transformation of early modern Europe. Adopting a comparative approach, the research will examine how Renauds character changes across time, genres, and cultural contexts. Why does he sometimes appear as a hero, other times as a rebel, or Rolands counterpart? How do these variations reflect the social and political concerns of different periods? And what can they tell us about the evolving ideas of chivalry, power, and identity? The study will combine traditional literary analysis with digital humanities tools to map the themes and relationships surrounding Renauds character. Using ontologies from information science, a database will be created to trace how characters and events develop across centuries and regions. The results will be made available through an interactive online platform, allowing users to explore Renauds narrative world through dynamic visualisations. By following Renauds journey though time and space, the project will open new perspectives on literary criticism, comparative literature, digital humanities, cultural history and gender studies showing how one rebellious knight can illuminate centuries of European imagination.