THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
with two-hundred thousand Saracens aboard. He sailed towards Italy and arrived there. At his
departure a soothsayer had told him that he would conquer all of Europe.
. . . . . . .
The Fall of Reggio
The Capture of Galiziella
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The news of Almont’s overthrow arrived at the queen’s tent, and the queen was much grieved by it.
Then Galiziella said to the queen: “I would certainly like to go and make trial of this Christian in my
own person, and if Mahomet gives me the victory, I will bring him here to prison.” The queen said:
“If you avenge your brother, I will make you the most honored queen in all Africa next to myself.”
Galiziella armed herself like a knight and went to the field by the gate used for sallying from the city,
and stayed unrecognized among the knights, waiting for Richier to attack the camp. Every evening
she returned to the queen, and early the next morning armed cap-a-pie and went to her watch. She
made this journey for eight days. On the ninth day, Richier assaulted the camp in his wonted
manner, at about the third hour, accompanied by a thousand knights, for Rambald saw that the city
was more tightly beleaguered and was anxious lest they should cut off the city’s supplies. Richier
had Bertram and Miles at his back, with two thousand knights each, and the cry of “To arms!” was
raised. Thereupon Galaziella leapt instantly upon her horse and sped toward the Christians with a
huge lance in her hand and a sword at her side. She ran at Richier and was the first in the field.
They gave each other tremendous blows with their lances. She made Richier bend grievously in the
saddle, thrust through his shield and broke her lance. Richier, however, hurtled her by sheer force
from her horse to the earth. As she struck the ground, the laces of her helmet burst and the helmet