Turpin of Reims

Turpin, the 8th century warlike archbishop of Reims, was for many years regarded as the author of the legendary Historia de vita Caroli Magni et Rolandi:



Charles the Great taking a bath, in his wonderful boat-shaped bath and in his robes and crown because he was, after all, King of France

But this great historic work has been declared a fiction [cf: Black Bess, Da Vinci Code etc.] and ascribed to a Monk in Compostella who is considered to have written the first five chapters in the 11th century [the rest of the work being completed by another monk, this time in Vienne, between 1109 and 1119].

However Turpin, archbishop of Reims is probably one and the same person as Tilpin, archbishop of Reims 753AD to 800AD - handwriting wasn't always easy to read in those days, even if you could read.


the cathedral at Reims

According to Flodoard, Charles Martel drove Rigobert [archbishop of Reims] from his office and replaced him with an upstart warrior clerk going by the name of Milo, who was bishop of Trier at the time, and became archbishop of Reims in 717. Milo, being aggressive, then set about the good people of Vascones in a military way. So it is generally thought that the warlike legends surrounding Turpin, archbishop of Reims, are due to confusion with his aggressive predecessor: Milo. Lot of confusion going on in the 8th century, which is probably why it was called: The Dark Ages.

Tilpin on the other hand was a monk from St Denis [the Westminster Abbey of France] before he was made archbishop of Reims in 753, and is now known to have spend his appointment clearing up the mess left by Milo, re-establishing the revenues and prestige of his church, and going down in history as being called Turpin.

see also: Turpini historia Karoli magni et Rotholandi, F. Castets [Paris 1880], the History of Charles the Great and Orlando, ascribed to Turpin, T. Rodd [London 1812] and De pseudo-Turpino, G. Paris [Paris 1865]

source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. 1926