''Romance of Horn'' is an
Anglo-Norman literature Anglo-Norman may refer to:
*Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066
* Anglo-Norman language
** Anglo-Norman literature
* Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1 ...
''romans d'aventure'' ("adventure story") tale written around 1170 by an author apparently named "Thomas".
[Judith Weiss, "Thomas and the Earl: Literary and Historical Contexts for the ''Romance of Horn''", in ''Tradition and transformation in medieval romance'' by Rosalind Field, Boydell & Brewer, 1999]
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The story became the base for one of the earliest Middle English romances, ''
King Horn
''King Horn'' is a Middle English chivalric romance dating back to the middle of the thirteenth century. It survives in three manuscripts: London, British Library, MS. Harley 2253; Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Laud. Misc 108; and Cambridge, Cambri ...
'', written around 1225.
Summary
The hero, named Horn, is the son of the king Aälof of
Suddene (probably somewhere near
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
). Horn is orphaned after the Saracens kill his parents. He and twelve companions then set sail in a boat only to end up on the shores of
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...
, where he grows to manhood and falls in love with the king's daughter Rigmel. There he defends the kingdom from invading
Saracens, but the king banishes him to
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
after he is wrongfully accused of trying to usurp the throne. In Ireland, Horn again proves his heroism and is offered the hand of the king's daughter. Horn refuses it and after some time returns to Brittany to rescue and marry Rigmel.
Translations
* ''The Birth of Romance: An Anthology. Four Twelfth-century Anglo-Norman Romances'', trans. by Judith Weiss and Malcolm Andrew (London: Dent, 1992), ; repr. as ''The Birth of Romance in England: Four Twelfth-Century Romances in the French of England'', trans. by Judith Weiss, Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 344/The French of England Translation Series, 4 (Tempe, Ariz.: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2009), .
References
Anglo-Norman literature
12th-century books
Romance (genre)
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