Charlemagne, Paris, France
Equestrian statue of Charlemagne and two of his leudes (Olivier and Roland with his sword Durendal), Paris, France. A Leudes was a vassal or tenant in the early Middle Ages. From the bravest of their tribe a number of warriors were chosen to be the companions and guards of the chief. They called Leudes, and usually served on horseback, while the greater part of the nation fought on foot; and they were bound to their chief by an oath of fidelity. These Leudes were, in fact, the nobility of the tribes, but resembled the knights of an after age in nothing except the circumstance of fighting on horseback. The sculpture is by Charles Rochet (1813-1878) and Louis Rochet (1819-1900), who were brothers. The sculpture is dated 1882.
Charlemagne, Paris, France
Equestrian statue of Charlemagne and two of his leudes (Olivier and Roland with his sword Durendal), Paris, France. A Leudes was a vassal or tenant in the early Middle Ages. From the bravest of their tribe a number of warriors were chosen to be the companions and guards of the chief. They called Leudes, and usually served on horseback, while the greater part of the nation fought on foot; and they were bound to their chief by an oath of fidelity. These Leudes were, in fact, the nobility of the tribes, but resembled the knights of an after age in nothing except the circumstance of fighting on horseback. The sculpture is by Charles Rochet (1813-1878) and Louis Rochet (1819-1900), who were brothers. The sculpture is dated 1882.