R O S _ B E I A A R D

The myth of a special horse

The myth of the Ros Beiaard and the four Heemskinderen dates back to medieval literature.
It was spread around most parts of Europe. Singers, city tales and parades made everybody familiar with the universal
epic tale.
The content deals with the problem that feudalism was in those days.
Therefore, the story goes back to the period of Charles Quint, emperor of the Sacred Roman Empire.

Aymon, Lord of Dendermonde, had a quarrel with King Karel.
In an attempt to reconciliate the feudal lord and his vassal, King Karel granted his permission for the wedding of his
sister Aye and Aymon.
Aye gave birth to 4 sons: Ritsaert, Writsaert, Adelaert and Reinout.
They were each knighted by their father and received, as the tradition prescribed, a horse.
Reinout nevertheless was so powerful that he killed his horse with a single blow of his fist.
Two other horses were offered to him but none could meet Reinout s power, but every knight had to have a horse!
Lord Aymon however gave his counsel.
He took Reinout to a fortress where the Ros Beiaard, a horse everybody feared greatly, was being locked up.
After a heroic fight, the wonderful horse was subjected by Reinout.
From now on Ros Beiaard obeyed every command of Reinout.

Lodewijk, King Karel s jealous son, laid his claim on the horse and challenged Reinout to a game of chess with the loser s
head as reward.
Lodewijk lost and Reinout beheaded him with a single blow of his sword.
Seated on the back of the Ros Beiaard they fled from their uncle King Karel who wanted to avenge the loss of his son.

Travelling through Spain they ended up in France.
From Castle Montalbaen, the Four Heemskinderen defended themselves against the armies of King Karel.
Our brave knights were able to escape from the stranglehold of King Karel.
Accompanied by the wizard Malegijs and the civilians of Montalbaen they kept on running to Dinant, where the Ros Beiaard
jumped across the Maas.
Yet due to the force of the jump, a piece of rock got torn of the hill and fell in the river.
Le Rocher Bayard still stands in the river.

Our knights realised the unfair situation and returned to the parental residence in Dendermonde.
They met their crying mother Aye who told them their father Aymon was being held captive by King Karel.
She also realised that her sons awaited the same destiny.
Therefore she begged on her knees for peace.
The consequence was that Lord Aymon was set free, but as a compensation King Karel demanded the death of the Ros
Beiaard.
Concerned about his family, Reinout met the demands of King Karel.
The Ros Beiaard was transported to the mouth of the Dender where heavy millstones were wrapped around his neck and
he was forced to step in the water.
Twice the Ros Beiaard was able to demolish the stones and it swam back to the shore where Reinout, his master, was
standing.
With a broken heart, Reinout was forced to watch the lugubrious spectacle.
The third time, despite the heavier millstones, the Ros Beiaard managed to return to the surface, but Reinaert could not
look at this scene any longer and turned his head.
When the Ros Beiaard saw this, it didn t want to live anymore and drowned.

Even now, the Ros Beiaard remains in the heart of every citizen of Dendermonde.
Once in a decade, the Ros Beiaard makes his victory march through the city centre of Dendermonde.

°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°§°