Doon de Mayence also known as Doolin de Maience, Doon de Maience or Doolin de Mayence was a fictional hero of the
Old French
Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th chansons de geste'', who gives his name to the third cycle of the Charlemagne">literatur.html" ;"title="chanson de geste">chansons de geste'', who gives his name to the third cycle of the Charlemagne Romance (heroic literature)">romances dealing with the feudal revolts.
There is no single unifying theme in the ''geste'' of Doon de Mayence. The rebellious barons are connected by the poets with Doon by fictitious genealogical ties and all are represented as opposing Charlemagne">genealogy">genealogical ties and all are represented as opposing Charlemagne, although their adventures—insofar as they possess a historical basis—generally occur before (or after) his reign.
The general insolence of their attitude to the sovereign suggests that Charlemagne is here only a pseudonym for his weaker successors. The tradition of a traitorous family of Mayence (Mainz), which was developed in Italy into a series of stories about criminals, appeared later than the Carolingian cycle. A contributor to the Chronicle of Fredegar states (iv. 87) that the army of
Sigebert III
Sigebert III ( 630–656) was the Merovingian dynasty, Merovingian king of Austrasia from 633 to his death around 656. He was described as the first Merovingian ''roi fainéant'', or "do-nothing king", with the mayor of the palace in fact ruling ...
was betrayed from within its own ranks by men of Mayence, in a battle fought with Radulf on the banks of the Unstrut in
Thuringia
Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area.
Er ...
.
The chief heroes of the poems which make up Doon de Mayence are Ogier the Dane, the four sons of Aymon, and Huon of Bordeaux. Doon himself was probably one of the last characters to be clearly defined, and the ''chanson de geste'' relating his exploits was drawn up partly with the view of supplying a suitable ancestor for the other heroes—in modern terms, a prequel. The second half of the poem, detailing Doon’s wars in Saxony, is perhaps based on historical events but the first half, a separate romance dealing with his romantic childhood, is a fiction dating back to the 13th century. Doon had twelve sons, of whom the most noteworthy are:
* Gaufrey de Danemarche, the father of Ogier the Dane
* Doon de Nanteuil, whose son Gamier married the beautiful Aye d’Avignon
* Griffon d’Hauteville, father of the arch-traitor Ganelon
* Duke Aymon de Dordone, whose four sons (including
Renaud de Montauban
Renaud (or Renaut or Renault) de Montauban (Modern ; ; ; or ) was a legendary hero and knight which appeared in a 12th-century Old French known as ''The Four Sons of Aymon''. The four sons of Duke Aymon are Renaud, Richard, Alard and Guiscard, ...
) were relentlessly pursued by Charles
* Beuves d’Aigremont, whose sons were the enchanter Maugris and Vivien de Monbranc
* Sevin (or Seguin), the father of Huon of Bordeaux
* Girart de Roussillon, hero, married to Bertha, opponent of Charles
* Others, less renowned
The history of these figures is given in ''Doon de Mayence'', ''Gaufrey'', the romances relating to Ogier, ''Aye d’Avignon'', the fragmentary ''Doon de Nanteuil'', ''Gui de Nanteuil'', ''Tristan de Nanteuil'', ''Parise la Duchesse'', ''Maugis d’Aigremont'', ''Vivien l’amachour de Monbranc'', ''Renaus de Montauban'' (or ''Les Quatre Fils Aymon'') and ''Huon de Bordeaux''.