Ogier the Dane (, ; ) is a legendary paladin of Charlemagne who appears in many Old French chansons de geste. In particular, he features as the protagonist in La Chevalerie Ogier (), which belongs to the Geste de Doon de Mayence ("cycle of the rebellious vassals"; Doon is Ogier's grandfather).
The first part of this epic, the enfance[s] (childhood exploits) of Ogier, is marked by his interrupted duel against the courteous Saracen king Caraheu, from whom he obtains the sword Cortain, to fight a fresh Saracen opponent Brunamont, whom he beats to win the horse Broiefort. In the second part occurs the momentous scene of Prince Charlot murdering his son Baudouin over a chess match, turning Ogier into a rebel with cause, seeking refuge with the King of Lombardy and warring with Charlemagne for many years, until he is eventually reconciled when a dire need for him emerges after another Saracen incursion. Ogier loses his beloved old horse in battle, but conquers Bauçant from his opponent (cf. ).
In the 14th century, the decasyllabic epic was expanded into a romance, now describing Ogier's further adventures in the Orient and his visit to Avalon as lover of the fay Morgan, his return to France after centuries, and the instantaneous loss of youth when the magic of the fay's ring wears off. The introduction of the Ogier character into the Arthurian world, including his dealings with Arthur himself and the Cath Palug of Welsh lore (Capalus in French writings), was also related in Jean d'Outremeuse's Mirrors of History. Later in the 14th century an Alexandrines version of the romance appeared, as well as a prose adaption printed from a few years before 1500.
In Scandinavia, he was first known as Oddgeir danski in the Old Norse prose translation of the first part of Chevalerie Karlamagnús saga III. Later he became more widely known as Olger or Holger Danske, and was given the pedigree of being Olaf son of King Gøtrik in a 16th-century Danish translation of the French romance in print. Holger Danske's fight with the savage "Burman" was sung in Danish and Swedish balladry. Holger Danske has also become a Danish folklore hero of the "Barbarossa" or sleeping hero type, and eventually a symbol of Danish identity and patriotism as well as anti-German nationalism.
His character is a composite based on an historical Autchar, who was aligned with king Desiderius of Lombardy against Charlemagne, and a Lombardian king Adalgis. The legend of a certain Othgerius buried in Meaux is also incorporated into the Chevalerie.
Name Ogier the Dane's first appearance (spelled Oger) in any work is in Chanson de Roland (), where he is not named as one of the douzepers (twelve peers or paladins) of Charlemagne, although he is usually one of the twelve peers in other works. In the poeticized Battle of Roncevaux Pass, Ogier is assigned to be the vanguard and commands the Bavarian Army in the battle against Baligant in the later half. He plays only a minor part in this poem, and it is unclear what becomes of him, but the Pseudo-Turpin knows of a tradition that Ogier was killed at Roncevaux.
There is a mention of almost comparable antiquity in the written in Medieval Spanish (Old Castilian) (now dated to ) where the warrior bears the nickname "Ogier of the short sword" ().
Historical references The Ogier character is generally believed to be based on Autcharius/Otker, a Frankish knight who had served Carloman and escorted his widow and young children to Desiderius, King of Lombardy, but eventually surrendered to Charlemagne. The Ogier character could also have been partly constructed from the historical Adalgis (or Adelgis, Algisus), son of Desiderius, who played a similar role., pp. 274ff, note. The chanson de geste does parallel this, and Ogier does seek refuge with the Lombardian king Didier or Désier (as Desiderius is styled in French).
An unrelated Othgerius (Otgerius), a benefactor buried at the Abbey of Saint Faro in Meaux in France, became connected with Ogier by a work called Conversio Othgeri militis (ca. 1070–1080) written by the monks there. This tradition is reflected in the chanson of Ogier, which states that the hero was buried at Meaux (cf. ).
There is no Ogier of consequence in Danish history; at least, no Ogier as such appears in Saxo Grammaticus's Gesta Danorum. However, the Danish work Holger Danskes Krønike (1534) by Christiern Pedersen transformed Ogier into the son of King Gøtrek of Denmark, namely Oluf son of Gøtrek.
According to the Chronicon Sancti Martini Coloniensis () which purports to tell the early history of the Great St. Martin Church, Cologne, "Olgerus, dux Daniæ" ("Olger, War-Leader of the Danes"), one assisting Emperor Charlemagne, was a great benefactor to the St. Martin monastery pillaged by the Saxons in 778, serving to rebuild. However, this is not a contemporary record and may just be poetic fiction.
Legend in France Besides the earliest sporadic mention in Chanson de Roland, a full career of Ogier from youth to death is treated in La Chevalerie Ogier de Danemarche, a 13th-century assonanced poem of approximately 13,000 lines, attributed to Raimbert de Paris, preserved in six manuscripts. It relates Ogier's early years, his rebellion against Charlemagne and eventual reconciliation. This is now considered a retelling. Ogier in a lost original "Chevalerie Ogier primitive" is thought to have fought alongside the Lombards because Charlemagne attacked at the Pope's bidding, as historically happened in the Siege of Pavia (773–74), that is, there was no fighting with the Saracens (i.e. Muslims) as a prelude to this.
The legend that Ogier fought valiantly with some Saracens in his youth is the chief material of the first branch (about 3,000 lines) of Raimbert's Chevalerie Ogier. This is also recounted in Enfances Ogier (c. 1270), a rhymed poem of 9,229 lines by Adenet le Roi. The story of Ogier's youth develops with close similarity in these two works starting at the beginning, but they diverge at a certain point when Raimbert's version begins to be more economical with the details.
In the 14th-century and subsequent versions of the romance, Ogier travels to the Avalon ruled by King Arthur and eventually becomes paramour of the fairy Morgan (the earliest known mention of her as his lover is in Brun de la Montaigne). This is how the story culminates in Roman d'Ogier, a reworking in s written in the 14th century, as well as its prose redaction retitled Ogier le Danois (Ogyer le Danois) printed in a number of editions from the late 15th century onwards. The Alexandrines version may contain some vestiges of the lost 12th-century Chevalerie Ogier. It is also possible that Ogier the Dane has first appeared in the Arthurian context as the Saxon prince Oriolz the Dane (de Danemarche), sometimes known as the Red Knight, in the 13th-century Vulgate Merlin and its English adaptation Arthour and Merlin.
There are also several texts that might be classed as "histories" which refer to Ogier. Girart d'Amiens' Charlemagne contains a variant of Ogier's enfances., Charlemagne. Philippe Mouskes's Chronique rimée (c. 1243) writes on Ogier's death. Jean d'Outremeuse's Ly Myreur des Histors writes of Ogier's combat with the capalus (chapalu), which is a giant cat monster known from the Arthurian cycle.
Horses and equipment
Broiefort
In Chevalerie Ogier, Ogier wins the horse Broiefort from his Saracen opponent Brunamont (cf. ). The horse is described as "all black, with a starred forehead" (cf. fig. right), vv. 2410, 2414: and a young foal with its teeth shed (and regrown) four times over. vv. 2410, 2413:
In the combat, he is provided with the sword Corte/Cortain by Caraheu. Brunamont also owned Nebuchadnezzar's helmet or sword (sword owned by ) according to variant mss. of Chevalerie Ogier.
Years later, Ogier is brought out of confinement, when a fresh Saracen wave of attack requires his help. Turpin had secreted away his weapons and equipment, but did not grasp the whereabouts of Broiefort, and subsequently, Charlemagne's horse (one given him by Balant,≈Blanchart[?]) and also Didier's Pennevaire were tested, but none could withstand the weight of Ogier. gives Baucent, Morel, Pennevaire, but Baucent is clearly an error But Broiefort had been kept at the monastery of St. Faro (), and horse and master are reunited.
Baucent
Baucent or Bauçant is the horse which Ogier conquers from Brehier/Braiher/Bréhus of Africa after defeating him in a decisive duel. Ogier loses his old horse Broiefort in the process, but now gains a new warhorse Chevalerie Ogier, vv. 11039–11856. (cf. ). The name means "black and white" or "piebald".
Bulfinch's retelling mistakenly transposes the name Marchevallee here, which is in concert with Tressan who replaces the horse's name with but this is a mistake. As discussed below, is a horse won from a different character called Nordin, sultan of Babylone (Cairo), as recounted in what used to be called the chanson de geste fragment .
In the romance, when Ogier combats Bréhus/Bruhier's brother Justamon[t], the battle begins with the recognition that Ogier is mounting the very horse taken from the opponent's brother. There ensues a pitched battle by sword off-horse, Ogier bats down the enemy's sword, but Justamont reciprocates by knocking down Courtain, and they are interlocked, until they each draw their swords, and Ogier strikes off Justamont's arm. In the meanwhile their horses fought, and Bouchant gave such a kick with the hind legs that it perforated straight through the heart of Brun de Surie ("Brown of Syria"). Ogier chided that the other shall never ride Brun again, Justamont has time to repartee he needs not ride it since he intends to inherit (Bouchant) from his brother, but at that point his head is struck off (cf. fig. right).
Marchevalée (modernized: ), was formerly the prized horse of Noradin, the soudan of Babylone (Cairo), but was captured by Ogier's nephew Gautier and made a gift of the horse to Ogier (cf. ).
Papillon
Papillon, in the romance version of the tale, is the horse which Ogier obtains in the fairyland of Avalon. Papillon had been a prince of the luitons (lutins), but conquered by King Arthur, he was condemned to remain speechless in the form of horse for 300 years, after which he is promised to be able to wear his fairy crown once again.
When the fay Morgue (Morgan) consents to letting Ogier return to France after 200 years to aid them against Saracens, Papillon is provided to accompany the knight. Papillon startles everyone with its prowess, "opening his mouth so wide it was like a furnace, spewing two dragons, causing everyone to flee".Vérard ed. (1498) Ch. 54, pp. 664–687. Summary by . When Ogier negotiates to engage in a close fight with the enemy Saracen leader Florion (and the amiral of Nubia), they stipulate that Ogier cannot ride the wicked horse Papillon for the contest. Ogier attempts to comply by riding Blanchard, but Papillon will not have it, and strangles the royal white horse to take its place, having changed color from black to white to deceive everyone about the switch.Vérard ed. (1498) Ch. 56, pp. 692–705bis. Summary by .
Legend at Meaux
A legend of Conversio Othgeri militis was invented by the monks at the at Meaux around 1070–1080. It claimed Othgerius Francus ("Frankish") to be the most illustrious member of Charlemagne's court after the king himself, thus making him identifiable with Ogier the Dane. He was buried in the abbey in a mausoleum built for him. His remains were placed in a sarcophagus lidded with his recumbent tomb effigy lying next to that of Saint Benedictus, and the chamber was enshrined with erect statues of various figures from the Charlemagne Cycle. A stone head later found in Meaux was determined to be Ogier's head from comparisons with these incunabula etchings. This stone head can still be viewed today.