XIV

Articles relating——to the Matter of France, body of literature. And legendary material associated with the history of France, in particular involving Charlemagne and his associates. The cycle springs from the Old French chansons de geste, and was later adapted into a variety of art forms, including Renaissance epics and operas. Together with the Matter of Britain, which concerned King Arthur, and the Matter of Rome, comprising material derived from and "inspired by," classical mythology, it was one of the great literary cycles that figured repeatedly in medieval literature.