Ferragut

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Combat of Roland and the giant Ferragut
Combat of Roland and the giant Ferragut

In the Matter of France, Ferragut was a Saracen giant that fought the paladin Roland in Nájera (Spain) in the late 8th century. According to Book IV of the Codex Calixtinus, Ferragut was a descendant of Goliath and had been sent to Nájera from Syria by the Emir of Babylon to fight the Christian army of Charlemagne. The giant didn't fear any arrow or spear and had the strength of forty strong men. He was nearly twelve cubits, his face was a cubit long, his nose a hand, his members nearly four cubits and his fingers three hands.

Charlemagne sent several of his men to fight the giant: the Dacian Ogier, Reinaldos of Montalbán, Constantine king of Rome, Count Hoel, and twenty other fighters two by two, who were defeated effortlessly by the giant and put to prison. As soon as Roland obtained permission from Charlemagne he approached the giant himself and they fought for two days using swords, wooden sticks, stones and bare fists. They accidentally killed each other's horses but Roland could find no way of wounding the giant. On the third day Ferragut told Roland that his weakest point was in his navel, and they had a conversation about religion discussing matters such as the Holy Trinity, the Genesis, the Immaculate Conception and Resurrection of Jesus. After this conversation another fight took place; this time Roland used the knowledge his opponent had given him, and killed him by inserting a spear in his navel.