Yes, it’s round two of this Christmas-time tradition of examining the folklore surrounding Charlemagne and his Paladins (Knights). For the first installment click HERE
And remember, this is the folklore, not the historical facts about Charlemagne and his empire.
ARCHBISHOP TURPIN OF RHEIMS – This Paladin was the legendary “Battling Bishop” who fought alongside Charlemagne and his other men in the field.
Turpin would take part in the battles, then clean up, don his robes and conduct masses of thanks to God for delivering another victory. Sort of a more badass version of Friar Tuck from Robin Hood legends.
OGIER THE DANE – Though he would go on to serve as one of Charlemagne’s most storied Paladins, Ogier was born to Geoffrey, the first Christian King of Denmark. Shortly before the child was to be baptized, six beautiful fairy maidens appeared and took turns holding the infant in their arms before kissing him and passing him on to the next maiden in line.
The first Fey gifted Ogier with bravery, the second with ample opportunities to serve in war, the third granted that he would never be vanquished in battle, the fourth gave him the gift of being pleasing for women to look upon and the fifth granted him the capacity to return the love he would inspire.
The sixth and youngest maiden was Morgana le Fey, who has a much different history in the legends of Charlemagne than in Arthurian lore. Morgana told the baby Ogier that she claimed him for her own (“imprinted” on him, you Twilight fans might say). She decreed that he would never die until he had come to visit her on the Isle of Avalon.
When Ogier was in his early teens emissaries from Charlemagne arrived in Denmark to demand a pledge of loyalty to Charlemagne as all the other Christian kingdoms had done. Geoffrey refused and so Charlemagne launched a military campaign which soon saw Geoffrey defeated and humbled.
To ensure Geoffrey’s continued loyalty his son Ogier was taken to live in Charlemagne’s court at first as a hostage, but soon the young man charmed Charlemagne and his nephew Roland. Ogier served alongside Roland as a Squire and eventually as a full Paladin. Continue reading
FREE SPEECH, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES – Neither end of the political spectrum seems interested in defending freedom of expression except when their own point of view is in danger of being silenced.
WITHIN AN ACE OF THE END OF THE WORLD (1900) – My review of this work of “ancient” science fiction was a hit with readers.
POLO: 2018 U.S. OPEN, GAMES ONE AND TWO – Balladeer’s Blog’s annual coverage of the U.S. Open in Polo attracted its usual share of attention.
TRUMP-HATERS: FASCISTS AND BUFFOONS – After two pieces of garbage like Barack Obama and George W Bush we got a de facto Third Party President in Donald Trump.
NEGLECTED DETECTIVES WHO SOLVED REAL-LIFE MYSTERIES – This item looked at a pair of baffling real-life mysteries that were solved decades ago by eccentric detectives as colorful as any in fiction.
THE PRISONER: MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER BEFORE – This item kicked off my review of the 1967 science fiction/ existential drama The Prisoner.
POLITICAL FORTUNE COOKIES – This was a popular one-shot item in which I took shots at Congressional Republicans, Barack Obama and many, many more.
MICHAEL MOORE: FAKE FRIEND TO THE WORKING CLASS – Pathetic, outdated Michael Moore STILL refuses to give away all but two million dollars of his bloated fortune to prove that he really cares about the 99 percent like he claims he does.
Here at Balladeer’s Blog I have repeatedly pointed out that the Democrats have trapped themselves in a faith-based worldview that is as dogmatic and irrational as any religion. They seem to feel that the rest of us are only as free as they permit us to be.
Fourth,
HODADEION PART 10 – THE CANNIBAL WIZARDS – Now safely on the northern side of Niagara Falls following his battle with the whirlwind, the demigod Hodadeion continued walking toward the northeast.
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS welcomed the NOTRE DAME COLLEGE FALCONS yesterday. The Blazers grabbed a 9-0 lead in the opening Quarter only to see the Falcons eke out a 10-9 edge by Halftime. Valdosta State exploded for a 30-17 advantage to end the 3rd Quarter, then held on from there for a 30-24 triumph. The Blazers showed once again why the Gulf Coast Conference is called “the SEC of D2 Football.”
ANNI CYRUS, IRANIAN-BORN CRITIC OF SHARIA LAW – Another member of the real-life League of Extraordinary Women, Anni Cyrus was in the news again, this time for her 2018 Anti-Sharia Law Tour.
THE JET BENNY SHOW – Balladeer’s Blog’s reviews of bad and weird movies are still very popular.
NON-DILLINGER: QUICK TAKES ON OTHER GANGSTERS OF HIS ERA – In keeping with Balladeer’s Blog’s tradition of examining topics which slip through the cultural cracks this blog post looked at some of the 1930s gangsters overshadowed by John Dillinger’s legend.
THE RATINGS GAME – I reviewed this overlooked comedy from 1984.
JOURNALIST SHARYL ATTKISSON’S COURAGEOUS EXPOSURE OF OBAMA’S COUNTLESS SCANDALS AND CRIMES – Strong female role model and 21st Century Ida Tarbell, Sharyl Attkisson refused to be intimidated by the Obama Administration’s thugs.
JIMMY KIMMEL: THE BALLADEER’S BLOG INTERVIEW – Relentlessly unfunny waste of biomass Jimmy Kimmel is a truly disgusting human being. 
ALL-STAR COMICS #6 (August 1941)
The heroes have to save Johnny from counterfeiters, bank robbers, extortionists, thieves dressed in gorilla costumes and headless zombies created by a mad scientist. (Shades of G-8 and His Battle Aces!) In the end, with all the criminals defeated, Johnny Thunder becomes a full member of the JSA. God knows why.
Joy Behar, whose pitch-perfect impression of hate-filled, slobbering anti-Trump fascists has made her famous, recently told a Balladeer’s Blog reporter during an interview that never happened that she has a book recommendation for Christmas.
Jowly Joy enthusiastically called it “A terrific look at the cesspool of corruption which masquerades as the American government. De facto Third Party President Donald Trump is uniquely qualified to rock the crooked DC boat since he is NOT a career politician like all the other Made Members of America’s Criminal Class of Officeholders.”