# Taillefer

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11th century Norman minstrel in England

For other uses, see [Taillefer (disambiguation)](/source/Taillefer_(disambiguation)).

[Norman conquest of England](/source/Norman_conquest_of_England) ([Bayeux Tapestry](/source/Bayeux_Tapestry))

**Taillefer** (Latin: *Incisor ferri*, meaning "hewer of iron") was the surname of a [Norman](/source/Normans) *jongleur* ([minstrel](/source/Minstrel)),[1] whose exact name and place of birth are unknown (sometimes his first name is given as "Ivo"). He travelled to England during the [Norman conquest of England](/source/Norman_conquest_of_England) of 1066, in the train of [William the Conqueror](/source/William_the_Conqueror). At the [Battle of Hastings](/source/Battle_of_Hastings), Taillefer sang the *[Chanson de Roland](/source/The_Song_of_Roland)* at the English troops while juggling with his sword. An English soldier ran out to challenge him and was killed by Taillefer, who then charged the English lines alone while singing and was engulfed, killing at least four more English in the process. Taillefer is not depicted, by name at least, on the [Bayeux Tapestry](/source/Bayeux_Tapestry). Due to this, some people do not believe in Taillefer.

[Wace](/source/Wace) mentions Taillefer in the *[Roman de Rou](/source/Roman_de_Rou)* (c. 1170):

- Taillefer, qui mult bien chantout, sor un cheval qui tost alout, devant le duc alout chantant de Karlemaigne e de Rollant, e d'Oliver e des vassals qui morurent en Rencesvals. Roman de Rou, lines 8013–8019 Taillefer, who sang right well, Upon a swift horse Sang before the Duke Of Charlemagne and of Roland And of Oliver and their vassals That died at Roncesvalles.

The story of Taillefer is told by [Geoffrey Gaimar](/source/Geoffrey_Gaimar), [Henry of Huntingdon](/source/Henry_of_Huntingdon), [William of Malmesbury](/source/William_of_Malmesbury) and in the *[Carmen de Hastingae Proelio](/source/Carmen_de_Hastingae_Proelio)*. The accounts differ, some mentioning only the juggling, some only the song, but have elements in common. The story was the subject of an 1816 [ballad](/source/Ballad) by the German poet [Ludwig Uhland](/source/Ludwig_Uhland), set to music for [soprano](/source/Soprano), [tenor](/source/Tenor), [baritone](/source/Baritone), eight-part chorus and orchestra by [Richard Strauss](/source/Richard_Strauss) in 1903, Op. 52, named after the protagonist [Taillefer](/source/Taillefer_(Strauss)).[2] The work received a rare performance on 13 September 2014 at the [Last Night of the Proms](/source/The_Proms).[3]

A version drawn from all of the sources can be found in [Winston Churchill](/source/Winston_Churchill)'s *[A History of the English-Speaking Peoples](/source/A_History_of_the_English-Speaking_Peoples)*.

Near the end of the 3rd volume of his works, [Robert Ripley](/source/Robert_Ripley) mentions Taillefer under the heading "General [Eisenhower](/source/Dwight_D._Eisenhower)", pointing out the coincidences between the [Allied](/source/Allies_of_World_War_II) general and the Norman [knight](/source/Knight). Taillefer embarked from the shore of Normandy where the Allies landed on [D-Day](/source/Normandy_landings) in [World War II](/source/World_War_II). The Battle of Hastings was on 14 October 1066, and Taillefer died on that day; Eisenhower was born on 14 October 1890; and "[Eisenhower](/source/Eisenhower_(name))" can be translated from German as "hewer of iron".

It is weakly attested in Burke's 1853 work *Burke's Landed Gentry for 1853, Vol. IV, p. 237ff* that the descendants of Taillefer included a local Baron of Oapenge, Kent, named *Hanger Taylifer* born circa 1256. Further attestations eventually state his direct descendants include [Rowland Taylor](/source/Rowland_Taylor) (1510 - 1555), Martyr.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Armed musicians"](http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=257858).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Taillefer* (R. Strauss)](http://www.klassika.info/Komponisten/Strauss_R/Ballade/TrV_207/index.html), details at Klassika (in German)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["BBC Two - BBC Proms, 2014 Season, Last Night of the Proms - Part 1"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04hzpn3). *BBC*. Retrieved 13 September 2014.

## External links

- [English translation of Uhland's 1816 ballad](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305030653/http://www.poetsandprinces.com/?p=379)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Taillefer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taillefer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taillefer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.