The Song of Roland

"Roland hath set the olifant to his mouth,
He grasps it well, and with great virtue sounds.
High are those peaks, afar it rings and loud,
Thirty great leagues they hear its echoes mount."
La Chanson de Roland

Most of the elements of this illustration are based on archaeological finds from the Carolingian/viking era. The Verden an der Aller helmet is a bit of a controversial choice from my part. Is probably Avar in reality, and seems to be related to some Chinese helmets. That being said, some believe this type of helmet is the inspiration to the weird helmets seen in Carolingian manuscripts. I wanted to make sort of a compromise between historical accuracy and the classic "carolingian look", so I did him wearing the Verden an der Aller helmet.