View source for Veillantif

{{Short description|Horse of Roland, Paladin of Charlemagne}}

[[File:Haldensleben Roland.jpg|thumb|right|Equestrian [[Roland (statue)|Roland statue]] showing [[Roland]] astride Veillantif in [[Haldensleben]], [[Saxony-Anhalt]], [[Germany]], in front of the town hall.]]
[[Image:BattleofRoncevauxWvBibra.jpg|thumb|Roland blows his [[olifant (instrument)|olifant]] riding Veillantif to summon help in the midst of the [[Battle of Roncevaux Pass|Battle of Roncevaux]]]]
'''Veillantif''' ([[French language|French]]), '''Vielantiu''' ([[Old French]]); '''Vegliantin''', '''Vegliantino''' or '''Brigliadoro''' ([[Italian language|Italian]]) is the name of [[Roland]] the [[paladin]]'s trustworthy and swift [[wikt:steed#Noun|steed]] in the stories derived from the ''[[chanson de geste|chansons de geste]]''.  The French name comes from an expression meaning "vigilant". ''Veillantif'' is first mentioned in ''[[The Song of Roland]]'' (v. 2032; laisse 151).

Veillantif was given various origins. In the 12th century ''chanson de geste'' ''[[Aspremont (chanson de geste)|Aspremont]]'', the horse is said to have formerly been in the possession of King [[Agolant]]'s son Aumon. After Aumon's defeat, the horse (and his sword [[Durendal]]) was given to Roland.<ref>{{harvp|Brandin|1919–1921}}, vv. 6075–80.</ref><ref>{{harvp|Newth|1989|pp=146–147}}, vv. 6075–80.</ref>

[[Andrea da Barberino]]'s (1370–1431) Italian prose adaptation ''L'Aspramonte'' stated that the horse was called Briadoro when it belonged to Almonte (Aumon), but renamed Vegliantino after being conquered by Orlandino ("little Roland").<ref>Barberino, ''L'Aspramonte'' III (38): "..il quale da' Pagani era chiamato Briadoro, e in questo dì cambiò nome e fu chiamato da' Cristiani Vegliantino". {{harvp|Boni|1951|p=151}}, {{harvp|Mattaini|1957|p=585}}.</ref>{{sfnp|Boni|1951|p=370}}<ref>{{harvp|Ross|2004|p=621}}: notes to Orlando.</ref> [[Luigi Pulci]]'s (1432–1484) ''[[Morgante]]'' refers to the horse as Vegliantino whereas [[Matteo Maria Boiardo]]'s (1440–1494) ''[[Orlando Innamorato]]'' and [[Ludovico Ariosto]]'s (1474–1533) ''[[Orlando Furioso]]'' used "Brigliadoro", Italian for "bridle of gold".{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|[[Barbara Reynolds]] ventured that "It was Boiardo who re-named him Brigliadoro".<ref>{{harvp|Reynolds|1975}}, introduction, p. 109.</ref>}}

==See also==
* [[Bayard (legend)|Bayard]], Rinaldo/Renaud's magical horse
* [[List of historical horses]]
* [[List of fictional horses]]

==Explanatory notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
;Citations
{{Reflist|30em}}

;Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
;texts
*{{citation|editor-last=Brandin |editor-first=Louis |ref={{SfnRef|Brandin|1919–1921}}|title=La Chanson d'Aspremont: chanson de geste du XII ̇siècle: Text du manuscrit de Wollaton Hall |volume=1 |location=Paris |publisher=Honoré Champion |year=1919 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gr4OAQAAIAAJ}}; volume [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiFNAAAAMAAJ 2] (1921). {{in lang|fr}}
*Brault, Gerard J., ed. (1978), ''The Song of Roland: An Analytical Edition'', Pennsylvania State University. {{ISBN|0-271-00516-5}}
*{{citation|ref={{SfnRef|Boni|1951}}|author=Andrea da Barberino |editor-last=Boni|editor-first=Marco |title=Aspramonte, romanzo cavalleresco inedito; Ed. critica con glossario |location=Bologna |publisher=Antiquaria Palmaverde|year=1951}} {{in lang|it}}
*{{citation|ref={{SfnRef|Mattaini|1957}}|author=Andrea da Barberino |editor-last=Mattaini|editor-first=Adelaide |title=Romanzi dei Reali di Francia |location= |publisher=Rizzoli |year=1957 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UHc2AAAAIAAJ}} {{in lang|it}}

;translations
*{{citation|last=Newth |first=Michael A. (tr. & ed.) |title=The Song of Aspremont (La Chanson d'Aspremont |location=New York |publisher=Garland |year=1989}}
*{{citation|ref={{SfnRef|Reynolds|1975}}|author=Ludovico Ariosto |editor-last=Reynolds |editor-first=Barbara |author-link=Barbara Reynolds |title=Orlando Furioso'', in two volumes |publisher=Penguin |year=1975 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W6nHA-fYkdYC&pg=PT103}} Part one (cantos 1-23) {{ISBN|0-14-044311-8}}; part two (cantos 24-46) {{ISBN|0-14-044310-X}}.
*{{citation|ref={{SfnRef|Ross|2004}}|author=Matteo Boiardo |editor-last=Ross|editor-first=Charles Stanley|editor-link=<!--Charles Stanley Ross--> |title=Orlando Inammorato: Orlando in Love |publisher=Parlor Press LLC |year=2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TkMCezxOCM0C&pg=PA621}} {{isbn|1932559019}}
* Combarieu du Grès, Micheline de, and Subrenat, Jean, ed., (1983), ''Les Quatre Fils Aymon'', Paris: Gallimard, . {{ISBN|2-07-037501-3}} {{in lang|fr}}
{{Refend}}

{{Matter of France}}
{{Orlando Furioso}}

[[Category:Characters in The Song of Roland]]
[[Category:Fictional characters introduced in the 11th century]]
[[Category:Legendary horses]]