THE ROYAL HOUSE OF FRANCE - outriders poetry project

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© 2009 Max Wickert
Aspramont a day before Charles. Later he sent his wife and his sons—that is Guiscard and Miles—
with an escort of five thousand back from the camp, as the story will recount in due course.
Namo’s Embassy to Anglant
32-33: Charlemagne Arrives in Aspramont [summary]
On the sixth day after his arrival in Rome, Charlemagne began moving his army toward Aspramont. His
commanders included six crowned kings and many dukes and counts. Among the commanders of his vanguard of
sixty-thousand men were Fulk, Seneschal of France and the queen’s nephew, as well as Ambuin, Bernard, Duke
Angelin, Solomon, Otho, Sanguin, Huon the Small, Gilfroy of Anjou and Quentin the Short. His bodyguard
included the Duke of Tarascon, Druon of Auvergne, Arnaut of Vendome, Joncar of Nevers and Samson of Piron.
His rear-guard of thirty-thousand knights was led by the kings of Noalta and Berbanzo as well as six counts. In the
main body of the army rode Miles of Angrant, Amon of Dordogne, Bevis of Agrimont, King Otho of England,
Namo of Bavaria, Ogier the Dane, the Marquis Berlingher, Richier, son of Duke Rinaldo of Pavia, the King of
Pavia, King Philip of Hungary, Ganelon and Gryphon. A finer host of Christian knights was never seen. As the
approached Aspramont, astonished at the great height of the mountains, they met many Christians fleeing from
Almont’s murderous Saracens. Charles reassured them and they agreed to act as his guides through the hostile
territory.
The army arrived at a river running between two mountains and made camp there, while the vanguard moved to the
entry of the valley. Charles pitched his pavilion near a fountain and assembled his council of war, asking them to
choose an envoy to be dispatched to Anglant. Ogier the Dane, Falco the Seneschal, Gilfroy Graymantle, and
Langoin of Gascony all offered to go, but Charles refused them since they seemed too valuable to risk. At last Richier,
a young knight of Pavia who had been raised in the court of Namo of Bavaria, rose to his feet, saying: “Sire, if you
want a poor knight, I am he; yet I am nobly born, for my father was a duke.” Charles accepted his offer. After the
emperor had drawn up his letter to Anglant, Richier returned to take it from him and receive his blessing. But then
Namo of Bavaria interfered.
Namo’s Embassy to Anglant
34: Namo at Council
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Duke Namo rose to his feet and said: “O sacred Emperor, you have been ill advised, for I know
Richier and I do not believe that there is in this whole army a better lance than his, nor a more
valorous squire. He should be cherished, and, if you act by my advice, this embassy should not be
performed by him.” When Charles heard him, he said: “Sir Duke, I am pleased to be advised by