Roman du Chevalier Errant

Thomas from Saluce wrote this chivalric poem between 1394 and 1396, getting his inspiration from the frescos that decorate the Baron hall in the Manta Castle. Only few manuscript copies of the novel are left; it is written in vulgar French, partly in prose and partly in verses. It is part of the XIV century chivalric novels current. Precious miniatures go along with the errant knight’s ventures: the knight is Thomas himself that tells his journeys and his meeting with Nine heroes and Nine heroines, the same characters of the frescos.

Au pié des mons, en un costé d’Ytalie es co[n]fines de Pymont en Lombardie, aussi come au pié de la grant montaingne que se nomme Mont Visoul, qui devise France et Ytalie, en une contree longue et lee et tres bien habitee d’aucunes citez et chasteauz et villez, la avoit pluseurs noblez et puissanz seingneurs, entre lesquelz estoit le plus noble et plus puissant en souveraineté et seingnourie, et estoit un marquiz…