History And Myth

Poul Anderson, 1138alpha IN Anderson, The Shield Of Time (New York, 1991), pp. 328-336.

Lorenzo de Conti tells Manfred von Einbeck (Manse Everard) that Pope Innocent has:

"'...preached a fresh crusade against the House of Hauteville. We'll cast it into the sea and bring [Sicily] back to Christ.'" (p. 333)

Everard reflects:

"To the Inquisition, when it gets founded. To the persecution of Jews, Muslims, and Orthodox Christians. To the burning of heretics." (ibid.)

This is the history that the Time Patrol guards.

Lorenzo aspires to become a knight of a new Charlemagne whereas Everard reflects that Charlemgne:

"...massacred the Old Saxons with Stalin-like thoroughness. But the Carolingian myth has taken hold." (p. 334)

Circulating stories and ballads will become the Chanson de Roland and Carolingian romances. Anderson contrasts the history with the myth.