Medieval horse names

The Four Sons of Aymon riding Bayard the horse

The people of Medieval Europe cared about their horses. And one of the things that proves it is the fact that they named them. There are mentions of horse names in medieval sources from the 11th century onwards. However, antique Roman sources show that some horses were already named then. Thus, it would seem that in Western Europe, naming horses is an old practice (and the lack of medieval references to it before the 11th century does not mean that horses were not named, just that there is no written evidence). Naming a horse is a way of recognising its value, economical, symbolical or affective. It is also a means of remembering a certain horse, which is important in the chivalric context were the names of famous knights was often paired with that of their destrier. 

English sources from the 13th century show that the stallions used in the royal studs had names, such as Bayard de la Tâche, Blaunchard de Bek, or Morel de Ber, who was a stallion at Knowle in 1293. Other names are mentioned: Ferrand de Bek, Bayard de Ardern, Morel de Crek, Bayard de Argentein. 

It is interesting to note that those stallions have both a name and a surname. This is probably to keep track of their origins and that of their offspring, since one of the goals of the European royal studs was to create the best possible warhorses, through importation and selective breeding. What do these surnames refer to? A geographical origin? An owner? In the examples given above, several of the stallions are called “de Bek.” In 1282, a man called Antony Bek bought horses in Aragon and Castile. So it could be inferred that the “de Bek” stallions from the studs of Edward I could be the ones bought by Antony Bek.[1]

Those surnames must have been all the more useful to keep track of the origins of the horses since they all have the same names. A quick look at the sources (both French and English) shows that many, many horses were called Bayard, Morel, Ferrant, Blanchart, Grisel… Those names refer to colours: Bayard is the bay horse, Morel the black horse, Ferrant the (iron) grey, Blanchart the white, Grisel the grey again… 

Using the colour of his coat to name a horse is quite natural. In Mongolia, for instance, horses are not named as such but designated by the precise shade of the colour of their coat. And even in Europe today, many black horses are named… Black – the exact translation of Morel. 

Literary sources also give examples of horse names. Those are attributed to fictional animals, but it is possible that they were later given to real life horses (in the hope maybe that they would emulate the literary destriers), or that they reflected real life trends in terms of equine names. 

In the Song of Roland (11th century), the names of several destriers are given, along with that of their masters. The mount of the eponymous hero is called Veillantif (=valiant). Another horse, belonging to someone named Guerins is called Sorel (=sorrel). The destrier of Guanelon (the bad guy who betrays Roland) is named Tachebrun (= brown spots, probably a horse with an appaloosa coat). Once again, coat colours are used to coin names, though character traits can also provide inspiration. 

Horse names are also numerous in the Four Sons of Aymon (12th century). There is Vairon (in French, a “vairon” horse has one blue eye), Broieguerre and Broiefort (could be a reference to the idea of crushing an enemy in battle),etc. But the most important horse of the song, the horse of the hero, Renaut de Montauban, the horse who steals the show, is called Bayard. Bayard, the bay horse, the most common colour, and probably the most common name. This horse, however is far from common: he is a magical fairy horse, intelligent, brave and cunning. He cannot talk but finds other ways of communicating with his master (neighing, tapping his hoof on the ground). He can also gallop faster than any other horse and has an extendable back that can accommodate up to four riders. 

Bayard is an extraordinary horse with an ordinary name. His portrayal mixes supernatural details with realistic ones. He is the ideal warhorse, brave, loyal and loving towards his master, endowed with magical powers. He is probably the horse every knight dreamed of owning. Would it be going too far to suppose that his common and usual name would give hope that finding a horse as good as him was not wholly impossible? 

Destriers are not the only horses to be named. I’ve mentioned more than once Froissart’s horse, who is a protagonist of the poem Le débat dou cheval et dou lévrier (14th century). He is just a rouncey used for travelling but he is called Grisel, the grey horse. Another literary rouncey who has a name is Ferrant, the farm horse from Reynard the Fox (12th century). In this book, all the animals have a name (and they talk). But Ferrant has a “real” horse name, a name that was also used for real life animals, which is not the case of the other protagonists. Maybe this could means that all types of horses had a name. In the absence of written sources, it is impossible to be sure of what was usual for the rounceys and draught horses of the peasant world. But again, the absence of sources does not equate an absence of names. Just that we have to use our imagination to fill the gaps. 

[1] GLADITZ Charles, Horse Breeding in the Medieval World, Four Courts Press, 1997