- After fighting the pagan Saracens in Spain for seven years, Charlemagne is just about ready to call it a day and head back to France for some R and R. Every city but Saragossa is now under Frankish rule, and Saragossa is on a big hill and guarded by King Marsile.
- Charlemagne doesn't know yet that Marsile's happy days are numbered, but the poet does. O, the joys of hindsight.
- Meanwhile Marsile gathers 20,000 men in Saragossa and asks his advisors how best to defeat the Franks if they come a-warring.
- Blancandrin, a popular counselor, suggests a scheme. Fake friendship with the Franks, give them some cool Spanish gifts and hostages for security, and promise to convert to Christianity soon. Only then will Charlemagne stop his warfare and go back to France.
- The downside is that the hostages will probably be killed. But Blancandrin argues that this is better than seeing Saragossa in the violent hands of the Christians.
- Marsile approves the ruse and sends ten hand-picked men to travel to Charlemagne with an olive branch and the promise that within a month Marsile will become a Christian and Charlemagne's vassal (in other words, he'll be obligated to give political and military allegiance to Charlemagne while continuing to control Saragossa himself).