noun
- In medieval French literature, the twelve greatest knights or peers of Charlemagne's court, especially those who fought at Roncevaux Pass.
Usage: archaic; literary; from Old French and medieval romance tradition
Examples
- The douzepers were celebrated in the Song of Roland as the most valiant warriors of their age.
- Medieval poets often recounted the deeds of Charlemagne's douzepers in epic verse.
- Among the douzepers, Roland and Oliver were the most renowned.
- The legend of the douzepers influenced European chivalric literature for centuries.