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“Roland * Oliver de Vienne * Naimon of Bavaria * Archbishop Turpin * Ogier the Dane * Huon de Bordeaux * Fierabras * Renaud de Montauban * Ganelon * Guy de Bourgogne * William of Gellone * Giard de Rousillon * Aymeri de Narbonne

The Twelve Paladins (or Twelve Peers) dominated the imagination of medieval Europe for at lest 500 years. At the heart of the story is a band of twelve noble nights who assist the Emperor Charlemagne in defending Christendom form the assaults of Saracens from the south (especially Muslim Spain) and pagans from the north, Into this central epic are woven fragments of Norse and classical mythology, doomed love, chivalric duels, legendary quests, as well as real battles transformed into romantic legend. This bundle of stories is known as The Matter of France and is consciously interlinked with The Matter of Britain (the Arthurian cycle of tales) and The Matter of Rome.

There are many variant lists of the Twelve Peers but the first seven given here have to be included. Roland, an historical marcher-lord of the Carolingian Breton frontier, fated to die protecting the Christian army at the battle fought at the Roncevaux Pass, is at the center of the tale. Key tales recount how he won his horse Veillantif, his magical sword Durendal and his battle-horn Oliphant. Second in chivalric glory is Oliver, brother of Roland’s love, Aude. Naimon is the German straight guy, Charlemagne’s most dependable soldier and father of Sir Bertram. Archbishop Turpin of Reims is a historical figure who died in 800 AD fused with another warrior cleric. Ogier is both knight-errant and the once and future king of Denmark, asleep beneath Kronborg Castle wrapped up in his beard. Huon is set a series of near impossible quests by his emperor to cleanse him of the blood-guilt of killing Prince Charlot. Fierabras is the Saracen champion who converts to Christianity.

Renaud is another major figure, supported by three brothers (Alard, Guiscard, and Richard), a magical sword (Froberge) and a magical horse (Bayard). Ganelon is the Judas-like traitor within the band of twelve brothers who will be torn apart by four wild horses. Guy de Bourgogne marries the Saracen beauty Floripas (sister of Fierabras). And William of Gellone is the archetypally adventurous second son who advances himself to become the Marquis Court Nez.

But unifying all these characters is their purity and chivalry. So a Spanish soldier about to be executed on the banks of the Rio Plate in Argentina in 1536 could look his commander in the eye and declare, ‘Some days things will as God wills, and the Twelve Peers will rule,’ and know that these last words would be remembered by his comrades.”

Excerpted from: Rogerson, Barnaby. Rogerson’s Book of Numbers: The Culture of Numbers–from 1,001 Nights to the Seven Wonders of the World. New York: Picador, 2013.