The Matter of Britain is a term used by Jean Bodel to describe the subject matter of the romances which are concerned with Arthurian legend as distinct from those which are concerned with Charlemagne or classical heroes. Examples in Middle English literature are, amongst others, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Morte Arthure (alliterative), Le Morte Arthur (stanzaic), and Malory's Le Morte Darthur.

The Matter of England is a term used to distinguish those romances written about English heroes or localized in England, such as Havelok the Dane, Guy of Warwick, and King Horn, from those dealing with classical heroes, or the legends of Arthur and Charlemagne.

The Matter of France is used to describe those romance matters which deal specifically with Charlemagne and his circle, as opposed to those matters of classical, Arthurian, or English nature. There are very few such romances in Middle English, but well-known examples are The Song of Roland, The Sowdon of Babylon, and The Sege of Melayne.

The Matter of Rome signifies the subject matter of romances dealing with classical heroes and stories, as different from those of Arthurian, Germanic, or Charlemagnian matter. Both Alexander romances (King Alisaunder) as well as romances of Troy and Thebes (The Seege of Troy, The Siege of Thebes) are included under this heading.

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