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{{Short description|Legendary knights of Charlemagne's court}}

[[File:Mort de Roland.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The death of [[Roland]] at the [[Battle of Roncevaux Pass|Battle of Roncevaux]] (manuscript illustration c. 1455–1460)]]
The '''Paladins''', also called the '''Twelve Peers''' ({{langx|fr|Douze Pairs}}), are twelve legendary [[knight]]s, the foremost members of [[Charlemagne]]'s [[royal court|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]].<ref name="OED">[http://dictionary.oed.com.dax.lib.unf.edu/cgi/entry/50169459?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=paladin&first=1&max_to_show=10 "Paladin"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429210212/http://dictionary.oed.com.dax.lib.unf.edu/cgi/entry/50169459?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=paladin&first=1&max_to_show=10 |date=2021-04-29 }}. From the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]''. Retrieved November 23, 2008.</ref> In these [[chivalric romance|romantic]] portrayals, the [[chivalric]] paladins represent [[Christianity]] against a [[Saracen]] (Muslim) invasion of Europe. The names of the paladins vary between sources, but there are always twelve of them (a number with [[12_(number)#Religion|Christian associations]]) led by [[Roland]] (spelled Orlando in later Italian sources). The paladins' most influential appearance is in ''[[The Song of Roland]]'', written between 1050 and 1115, which narrates the heroic death of Roland at the [[Battle of Roncevaux Pass]].

The legend is based on the historical [[Umayyad invasion of Gaul]] and subsequent conflict in the ''[[Marca Hispanica]]'' between the [[Frankish Empire]] and the [[Emirate of Córdoba]]. The term ''paladin'' is from [[Old French]], deriving from the [[Latin]] ''comes palatinus'' ([[count palatine]]), a title given to close [[Affinity (medieval)|retainers]].

The paladins remained a popular subject throughout [[medieval French literature]]. Literature of the [[Italian Renaissance]] (15th and 16th centuries) introduced more [[fantasy]] elements into the legend, which later became a popular subject for [[opera]]s in the [[Baroque music]] of the 16th and 17th centuries. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the term was reused outside fiction for small numbers of close military [[confidant]]s serving national leaders. Modern depictions of paladins are often an individual [[knight-errant]] holy warrior or combat healer, influenced by the [[Paladin (Dungeons & Dragons)|paladin character class]] that appeared in ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' in 1975.

==Etymology==
{{wiktionary|paladin}}
{{main|Palatine}}

The earliest recorded instance of the word ''paladin'' in the [[English language]] dates to 1592, in ''Delia'' (Sonnet XLVI) by [[Samuel Daniel]].<ref name="OED" /> It entered English through the [[Middle French]] word {{lang|fro|paladin}}, which itself derived from the [[Latin]] {{lang|la|[[palatine|palatinus]]}}, ultimately from the name of [[Palatine Hill]] – also translated as 'of the [[palace]]' in the Frankish title of [[Mayor of the Palace]].<ref name="OED" /> A presumptive [[Old French]] form {{lang|fro|*palaisin}} was already loaned into late [[Middle English]] as {{lang|enm|palasin}} in {{circa|1400}}.

Over time ''paladin'' came to refer to other high-level officials in the imperial, majestic and royal courts.<ref name="Palatine">[http://dictionary.oed.com.dax.lib.unf.edu/cgi/entry/50169581?query_type=word&queryword=palatine&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=BPdQ-U5f5Hu-11411&hilite=50169581 "Palatine"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108160558/http://dictionary.oed.com.dax.lib.unf.edu/cgi/entry/50169581?query_type=word&queryword=palatine&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=BPdQ-U5f5Hu-11411&hilite=50169581 |date=2020-01-08 }}. From the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]''. Retrieved November 23, 2008.</ref> The word [[palatine]], used in various European countries in the medieval and modern eras, has the same derivation.<ref name="Palatine" />

By the 13th century, words referring specifically to Charlemagne's peers began appearing in European languages; the earliest is the Italian {{lang|it|paladino}}.<ref name="OED" /> Modern French has {{lang|fr|paladin}}, [[Spanish language|Spanish]] has {{lang|es|paladín}} or {{lang|it|paladino}} (reflecting alternate derivations from the French and Italian), while [[German language|German]] has {{lang|de|Paladin}}.<ref name="OED" />  By extension, ''paladin'' has come to refer to any chivalrous hero such as [[King Arthur]]'s [[Knights of the Round Table]].<ref name="OED" />

==Historical title==
{{Further|Royal Administration of Merovingian and Carolingian Dynasties}}

In the Roman imperial period, a ''palatinus'' was one of the closest retainers of the [[Roman emperor|emperor]], who lived in the [[Palace of Domitian|imperial residence]] as part of the emperor's household. The title survived into the medieval period, as ''comes palatinus''. However, the modern spelling ''paladin'' is now reserved for the fictional characters of the ''chanson de geste'', while the conventional English translation of ''comes palatinus'' is [[count palatine]]. After the fall of Rome, a new feudal type of title, also known simply as ''palatinus'', started developing. The [[Franks|Frankish]] kings of the [[Merovingian]] dynasty (reigned 480–750) employed a high official, the ''comes palatinus'', who at first assisted the king in his judicial duties and at a later date discharged many of these himself. Other counts palatine were employed on military and administrative work.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911 |wstitle=Palatine |volume=20 |pages=595–596 |inline=1 |first=Arthur William |last=Holland}}</ref>

In the [[Visigothic Kingdom]], the ''Officium Palatinum'' consisted of a number of men with the title of count that managed the various departments of the royal household. The Comes Cubiculariorum oversaw the [[chamberlain (office)|chamberlains]], the Comes Scanciorun directed the cup-bearers, the Comes Stabulorum directed the equerries in charge of the stables, etc. The [[Ostrogothic Kingdom]] also maintained palatine counts with titles such as Comes Patrimonium, who was in charge of the patrimonial or private real estate of the king, and others.
The system was maintained by the [[Carolingian dynasty|Carolingian]] sovereigns (reigned 751–987). 
A Frankish [[capitulary]] of 882 and [[Hincmar|Hincmar, archbishop of Reims]], writing about the same time, testify to the extent to which the judicial work of the Frankish Empire had passed into their hands.<ref name="EB1911" /> 

Instead of remaining near the person of the king, some of the counts palatine were sent to various parts of his empire to act as judges and governors, the districts ruled by them being called palatinates.<ref name="EB1911" /> By the High Middle Ages, the title "count" had become increasingly common, to the point that both great magnates who ruled regions that were the size of duchies, and local castle-lords, might style themselves "count". As the great magnates began to centralize their power over their local castle-lords, they felt the need to assert the difference between themselves and these minor "counts". Therefore, several of these great magnates began styling themselves "Count Palatine", signifying great counts ruling regions equivalent to duchies, such as the [[Counts of Champagne|Counts Palatine of Champagne]] in the 13th century. The [[Count Palatine of the Rhine]] served as [[prince-elector]] from "time immemorial" (with [[Wigeric of Lotharingia]] reaching back to the late Carolingian era), noted as such <!--i.e. "since time immemorial", this means that they didn't have any documentation as to the origin of this existing privilege back in the 13th century when they decided to confirm it in writing--> in a papal letter of 1261, and confirmed as elector in the [[Golden Bull of 1356]]. ''[[Palatine of Hungary|Palatin]]'' was also used as a title in the [[Kingdom of Hungary]].

== Medieval romance ==
{{see|Chivalric romance|Chanson de geste|Matter of France}}
[[File:Rolandslied.jpg|thumb|upright|Roland storms the temple of Muhammad (''[[:de:Codex Palatinus Germanicus|Codex Palatinus Germanicus]]'', 12th century)]]
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[[File:Ganelon.jpg|thumb|The torture of [[Ganelon]] (''[[Grandes Chroniques de France]]'', 14th century)]]
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In the French courtly literature of the 12th century, the paladins are the twelve closest companions of [[Charlemagne]], comparable to the role of the [[Knights of the Round Table]] in Arthurian romance.

The names of the twelve paladins vary from romance to romance, and often more than twelve are named. The number is popular because it resembles the [[Twelve Apostles]] ([[12 (number)#Christianity|etc.]]).
Always named among the paladins are [[Roland]] and [[Oliver (paladin)|Oliver]]; other recurring characters are [[Turpin (archbishop)|Archbishop Turpin]], [[Ogier the Dane]], [[Huon of Bordeaux]], [[Fierabras]], [[Renaud de Montauban]] and [[Ganelon]]. 

Their greatest moments come in ''[[The Song of Roland]]'' (written between c. 1040 and 1115), which depicts their defense of Charlemagne's army against the Saracens of [[Al-Andalus]], and their deaths at the [[Battle of Roncevaux Pass]] due to the treachery of [[Ganelon]]. ''The Song of Roland'' lists the twelve paladins as [[Roland]], [[Charlemagne]]'s nephew and the chief hero among the paladins; [[Oliver (paladin)|Oliver]], Roland's friend and strongest ally; and Gérin, Gérier (these two are killed in the same ''laisse'' [123] by the same Saracen, Grandonie), Bérengier, Otton, Samson, Engelier, Ivon, Ivoire, Anséis, Girard. Other characters elsewhere considered part of the twelve appear in the song, such as [[Turpin (archbishop)|Archbishop Turpin]] and [[Ogier the Dane]].

The paladins figure into many ''chansons de geste'' and other tales associated with Charlemagne. In ''[[Fierabras]]'' (c. 1170), they retrieve holy relics stolen from Rome by the [[Saracen]] giant Fierabras.
In some versions, Fierabras is converted to Christianity and joins the ranks of the paladins himself. In ''[[Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne]]'' they accompany their king on a pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]] and [[Constantinople]] in order to outdo the [[Byzantine Emperor]] Hugo.

==Early modern reception==
[[File:Ferabràs.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Fierabras]]'' (1497 woodcut)]]

The [[Italy|Italian]] [[Renaissance]] authors [[Matteo Maria Boiardo]] and [[Ludovico Ariosto]], whose works were once as widely read and respected as [[William Shakespeare]]'s, contributed prominently to the literary and poetical reworking of the tales of the epic deeds of the paladins. Their works, ''[[Orlando Innamorato]]'' and ''[[Orlando Furioso]]'', send the paladins on even more fantastic adventures than their predecessors. They list the paladins quite differently, but keep the number at twelve.<ref>Frank, Grace, "La Passion du Palatinus: mystère du XIVe siècle," in ''Les Classiques français du moyen âge'' (30) Paris 1922.</ref>

Boiardo and Ariosto's paladins are [[Roland|Orlando]] (Roland), [[Charlemagne]]'s nephew and the chief hero among the paladins; [[Oliver (paladin)|Oliver]], the rival to Roland; Ferumbras ([[Fierabras]]), the Saracen who became a Christian; [[Astolpho]], descended from [[Charles Martel]] and cousin to Orlando; [[Ogier the Dane]]; [[Ganelon]] the betrayer, who appears in [[Dante Alighieri]]'s ''[[The Divine Comedy#Inferno|Inferno]]'';<ref>[[s:The Divine Comedy/Inferno/Canto XXXII|''The Divine Comedy'', Canto XXXII]].</ref> Rinaldo ([[Renaud de Montauban]]); Malagigi ([[Maugris]]), a sorcerer; Florismart, a friend to Orlando; Guy de Bourgogne; Namo ([[Naimon]] or Namus), Duke of Bavaria, Charlemagne's trusted adviser; and Otuel, another converted Saracen.

In the Baroque era, Ariosto's poem was the basis of many operas. Among the earliest were [[Francesca Caccini]]'s ''[[La liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina]]'' ("The Liberation of Ruggiero from Alcina's Island", 1625) and [[Luigi Rossi]]'s ''Il palazzo incantato'' (1642). [[Antonio Vivaldi]] staged three operas on themes from Ariosto: ''Orlando furioso'' (1713) by [[Giovanni Alberto Ristori]], ''[[Orlando furioso (Vivaldi, 1714)|Orlando Furioso]]'' (1714), with music by Ristori and by himself, and ''[[Orlando furioso (Vivaldi)|Orlando]]'' (1727). In France, [[Jean-Baptiste Lully]] turned to Ariosto for his ''tragédie en musique [[Roland (Lully)|Roland]]'' (1685).

Perhaps the most famous operas inspired by the poem are those by [[George Frideric Handel|Handel]]: ''[[Orlando (opera)|Orlando]]'' (1733), ''[[Ariodante]]'' and ''[[Alcina]]'' (1735).
''[[Les Paladins]]'' is a 1760 opera by [[Jean-Philippe Rameau]]. The plot is based on a verse tale by [[La Fontaine]], ''Le petit chien qui secoue de l'argent et des pierreries'', itself derived from an episode in Ariosto's ''Orlando Furioso''. <ref>Sylvie Bouissou, ''Jean-Philippe Rameau'' (Fayard, 2014), p. 817</ref>

The enthusiasm for operas based on Ariosto continued into the Classical era and beyond with such examples as [[Niccolò Piccinni]]'s ''[[Roland (Piccinni)|Roland]]'' (1778), [[Joseph Haydn|Haydn]]'s ''[[Orlando paladino]]'' (1782), [[Étienne Méhul|Méhul]]'s ''[[Ariodant]]'' (1799) and [[Simon Mayr]]'s ''[[Ginevra di Scozia]]'' (1801).<ref>See entries on individual works in [[Grove Dictionary of Music|Grove]] or ''The Viking Opera Guide'' (ed. Holden, 1994).</ref>

The title of ''Paladin'' is revived in the early modern period for the closest retainers of a monarch.
Thus, the leaders of armies supporting the Protestant [[Frederick V, Elector Palatine|Frederick V]] in the [[Thirty Years' War]] were named ''Paladins''.<ref>Wilson, Peter H. ''The Thirty Years War: Europe's Tragedy'', Harvard University Press, 2009</ref>

== Modern reception==
[[File:Die Gartenlaube (1871) b 672.jpg|thumb|{{lang|de|Die drei Paladine des deutschen Kaisers}} by [[Wilhelm Camphausen]] ({{lang|de|[[Die Gartenlaube]]}}, 1871)]]
[[File:According to a legend linked to Arthurian myth, a Danish king known as Ogier the Dane, was taken to Avalon by Morgan le Fay. He returned to rescue France from danger, then travelled Kronborg castle, where he - panoramio (2).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Hans Peder Pedersen-Dan]]'s 1907 statue of {{lang|da|Holger Danske}} ([[Ogier the Dane]]) in the [[casemate]]s at [[Kronborg]] castle, Denmark]]

''Paladin'' was used informally of the closest confidants of the [[German Emperor]]. Thus, {{lang|de|[[Die Gartenlaube]]}} in 1871 named {{lang|de|[[Albrecht von Roon]]|italic=no}}, {{lang|de|[[Otto von Bismarck]]|italic=no}} and {{lang|de|[[Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke]]|italic=no}} as "the three Paladins of the German Emperor". Similarly, British generals [[Garnet Wolseley]] and [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Frederick Roberts]] have been dubbed "Queen Victoria's Paladins".<ref>John Philip Jones, ''Queen Victoria's Paladins: Garnet Wolseley and Frederick Roberts'' (2018).</ref> Following this template, [[Adolf Hitler]] used to refer to {{lang|de|[[Hermann Göring]]|italic=no}} as his {{lang|de|Paladin}}.<ref>Stefan Marthens: {{lang|de|Erster Paladin des Führers und Zweiter Mann im Reich}} (1985). Wolfgang Paul: ''Hermann Goering: Hitler's Paladin or Puppet?'' (1998).</ref>

While the Arthurian "Matter of Britain" enjoyed a major revival in the 19th century in the hands of the [[Romanticism|Romantic]] and [[Victorian era|Victorian]] poets, writers, and artists, the "Matter of France" has generally received less attention. The ''Song of Roland'' has nevertheless inspired numerous modern works, including [[Graham Greene]]'s ''[[The Confidential Agent]]'' (1939),<ref>''[[The Confidential Agent]],'' Part 1, Ch. 2, quoted in {{Cite book|last=Hoskins|first=Robert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YfkAky4xVC4C&dq=courageous+fool+who+was+more+concerned+with+his+own+glory+than+with+the+victory+of+his+faith&pg=PA122|title=Graham Greene: An Approach to the Novels|date=1999-07-22|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-203-00963-5|language=en |page=122}}</ref> and Stephen King's ''[[The Dark Tower (series)|Dark Tower]]'' series.

Emanuele Luzzati's animated short film, {{lang|it|I paladini di Francia}}, together with {{lang|it|Giulio Gianini}}, in 1960, was turned into the children's picture-story book, with verse narrative, {{lang|it|I Paladini de Francia ovvero il tradimento di Gano di Maganz}} ('The Paladins of France or the treachery of Gano of Maganz', 1962). This was republished in English, as ''Ronald and the Wizard Calico'' (1969).<ref>''The Picture Lion'' paperback edition (William Collins, London, 1973) is a paperback imprint of the Hutchinson Junior Books edition (1969), which credits the English translation to Hutchinson Junior Books.</ref>

In the later 20th century, ''Paladin'' has become a trope in modern [[fantasy]]. A ''[[paladin (Dungeons & Dragons)|paladin]]'' [[character class]] was first introduced in 1975 for ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' in ''[[Greyhawk (supplement)|Supplement I – Greyhawk]]''. The ''Dungeons & Dragons'' character class was reportedly inspired by the protagonist of the 1962 fantasy novel ''[[Three Hearts and Three Lions]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last=DeVarque |first=Aardy R. |title=Literary Sources of D&D |url=http://www.geocities.com/rgfdfaq/sources.html+21:51:07 |publisher=[[Yahoo! GeoCities|Geocities]] |access-date=19 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209043119/http://www.geocities.com/rgfdfaq/sources.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 December 2007}}</ref> which was itself a pastiche of various elements of medieval and post-medieval legend, including elements of the Matter of France.
{{lang|it|[[Hearts and Armour|I paladini — storia d'armi e d'amori]]}} is a 1983 Italian fantasy film.
As a character class in video games, the ''Paladin'' stock character was introduced in 1985, in ''[[The Bard's Tale (1985 video game)|The Bard's Tale]]''. 
In ''[[Age of Empires II]]'', the Paladin is the ultimate upgrade for knights of some European and Eurasian steppe civilizations.<ref>{{cite web | last=Arnold | first=Matt | title=Holy Rollers: Most Iconic Paladins In Video Games, Ranked | website=TheGamer | date=2022-03-15 | url=https://www.thegamer.com/most-iconic-paladins-in-video-games-list/ | access-date=2025-05-04}}</ref> And in 2008, the Hollywood action film ''[[Jumper (2008 film)|Jumper]]'' featured characters known as Paladins, with a leader named Roland. Though the movie was adapted from a 1993 science-fiction novel ''[[Jumper (novel)|of the same name]]'', the Paladin reference is not in the book.
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''[[Paladin (comics)|Paladin]]'' as the name of a [[Marvel Comics]] was introduced in 1978.
''[[The Paladin]]'' is a 1988 [[low fantasy]] novel.-->

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Wiktionary|paladin|douzeper}}

{{Orlando Furioso}}
{{Stock characters}}

[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in the 11th century]]
[[Category:Knights-errant]]
[[Category:French folklore]]
[[Category:Matter of France]]
[[Category:Medieval legends]]
[[Category:The Song of Roland]]
[[Category:Stock characters]]
[[Category:Charlemagne]]