Turpin
Also known as: Turpins · Family: Franks · Role: archbishop · First appears: Laisses VII–XII
In Laisses VII–XII, Turpin is among the barons summoned by Charles to council, alongside Guenes, Rollant, Oliver and others. In Laisses XCI–XCVI, he kills Corsablix in combat; in Laisses CIII–CVIII, he kills Siglorel, and in Laisses CXXI–CXXVI, he strikes down Abisme. The poem also tells that Turpin had slain Grossaille, a king, in Denmark and taken his horse.
In Laisses CLVII–CLXII, Rollant tends Turpin’s wounds, embraces him and lays him on the grass. At Rencesvals, in Laisses CLXIII–CLXVIII, Turpin dies after losing too much blood. In Laisses CCLXV–CCLXX, Charles has him laid in a white coffer at Saint Romain alongside Rollant and Oliver.
Relationship record
Life events
- Charles convenes a council with his barons, including Guenes, Rollant, and Oliver.(Laisses VII–XII)
- With: Charles Guenes Rollant Oliver Oger Richard Henry Acolin Tedbald Milun Gerin Gerer
- “That Emperour, beneath a pine he sits, Calls his barons, his council to begin: Oger the Duke, that Archbishop Turpin, Richard the old, and his nephew Henry, From Gascony the proof Count Acolin, Tedbald of Reims and Milun his cousin: With him there were Gerers, also Gerin, And among them the Count Rollant came in, And Oliver, so proof and so gentil. Franks out of France, a thousand chivalry; Guenes came there, that wrought the treachery. The Council then began, which ended ill.”
- Turpin kills Corsablix in combat.(Laisses XCI–XCVI)
- With: Corsablix
- “Thrusts his great spear in through the carcass clean, Pins it so well he shakes it in its seat, Dead in the road he's flung it from his spear.”
- Turpin kills Siglorel.(Laisses CIII–CVIII)
- With: Siglorel
- “And the Archbishop, he slew them Siglorel, The enchanter, who before had been in hell, Where Jupiter bore him by a magic spell.”
- Turpin strikes Abisme and kills him.(Laisses CXXI–CXXVI)
- With: Abisme
- “So Turpin strikes, spares him not anyway; After that blow, he's worth no penny wage; The carcass he's sliced, rib from rib away, So flings him down dead in an empty place.”
- Looking back, the poem tells that Turpin had slain Grossaille, a king, in Denmark and taken his horse.(Laisses CXXI–CXXVI · 📍 Denmark)
- With: Grossaille
- “That was a king he had in Denmark slain;”
- Rollant tends Turpin’s wounds and lays him on the grass.(Laisses CLVII–CLXII)
- With: Rollant
- “To the Archbishop, Turpins, he goes with aid; He's from his head the golden helm unlaced, Taken from him his white hauberk away, And cut the gown in strips, was round his waist; On his great wounds the pieces of it placed, Then to his heart has caught him and embraced; On the green grass he has him softly laid,”
- Turpin dies after losing too much blood.(Laisses CLXIII–CLXVIII · 📍 Rencesvals)
- “For too much blood he's lost, and no strength has; Ere he has crossed an acre of the land, His heart grows faint, he falls down forwards and Death comes to him with very cruel pangs.”
- Charles brings Rollant, Oliver and the Archbishop down to Blaive and has them laid in white coffers at Saint Romain.(Laisses CCLXV–CCLXX · 📍 Saint Romain)
Laisses VII–XII
- lord: Charles “Oger the Duke, that Archbishop Turpin,”
Laisses XIX–XXIV
- lord: Charles “Turpins of Reins is risen from his rank, Says to the King: “In peace now leave your Franks.”
Laisses LXXXV–XC
- lord: Charles “My lords barons, Charles left us here for this; He is our King, well may we die for him:”
Laisses XCI–XCVI
- lord: Charles “Charles my lord our warrant is indeed;”
- enemies with Corsablix “To strike that king by virtue great goes he, The hauberk all unfastens, breaks the shield, Thrusts his great spear in through the carcass clean,”
Laisses CIII–CVIII
- enemies with Siglorel “And the Archbishop, he slew them Siglorel, The enchanter, who before had been in hell,”
Laisses CXXI–CXXVI
- enemies with Abisme (Turpin kills Abisme.) “So strikes that shield, is wonderfully arrayed, Whereon are stones, amethyst and topaze, Esterminals and carbuncles that blaze; A devil's gift it was, in Val Metase, Who handed it to the admiral Galafes; So Turpin strikes, spares him not anyway; After that blow, he's worth no penny wage; The carcass he's sliced, rib from rib away, So flings him down dead in an empty place.”
- enemies with Grossaille (Turpin had slain Grossaille.) “Sitting the horse which he took from Grossaille --That was a king he had in Denmark slain;--”
Laisses CLVII–CLXII
- friends with Rollant “Together we'll endure things good and bad;”
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Extracted from the original text of The Song of Roland. Made with Rho MD.