The Song of Roland

medieval epic work

thumb|upright=1.35|The death of Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux (manuscript illustration c. 1455–1460) The Paladins, also called the Twelve Peers (), are twelve legendary knights, the foremost members of Charlemagne's court in the 8th century. They first appear in the medieval (12th century) chanson de geste cycle of the Matter of France, where they play a similar role to the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian romance. In these romantic portrayals, the chivalric paladins represent Christianity against a Saracen (Muslim) invasion of Europe. The names of the paladins vary between sources,

thumb|Roland cleaving a rock with Durendal and blowing the Olifant (instrument)|olifant before death.

type of horn instrument made from ivory

thumb|right|Albrecht Duerer portrait of [[Charlemagne with Joyeuse]] In medieval legend, Joyeuse (; ; meaning 'joyous, joyful') was the sword wielded by Charlemagne as his personal weapon.

Turoldus, or Turold, is the name traditionally given to the author of the 11th-century French poem the Song of Roland. Efforts to make a convincing further identification of the identity of Turoldus have failed. The Latin form Turoldus is equivalent to the personal name Thorold.

poem by Robert Browning