The 4 Aymons sons in the «Liège region»
Renauld, Allard, Guichard and Richard were the four Aymon sons. Their father was Duke Aymon. They had a cousin: Maugis, who had enchanting talents. According to legend, this one rescued the Bayard horse from a volcano.
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Bayard, for his part, was a horse with magical qualities and a supernatural origin: he was the son of a dragon and a snake. Bayard had been liberated from a volcanic island by the enchanter Maugis who decided to return it to Emperor Charlemagne who, himself, gave it to the Aymon brothers.
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The story took place in Charlemagne’s castle, where Renauld had just been knighted, in the recreation room where he played a game of chess with Bertolai, the emperor’s nephew.
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Bertolai provoked Renauld, then they quarrelled. Renauld, angry, mortally wounded Bertolai. The emperor then decided to avenge his nephew. To save their lives, Duke Aymon’s sons fled.
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The escape continued into the depths of the Ardennes Forest. They found their cousin Maugis and told him about their sad adventure. With the help of their cousin’s magical talents, they built the fortress of Montessort on a rock overlooking the Meuse so that everyone could take refuge there. They led a quiet life for several years, when one day Charlemagne found them again, still determined to take revenge.
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Charlemagne arranged with a young lord and managed to get the doors of the castle opened. Renauld’s troop fought with strength and courage, then with Bayard, they fled to the forest through a secret passage to take refuge at Montauban Castle.
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Charlemagne - hating the horse ordered him to be thrown into the Meuse with a wheel around his neck. It’s done. Bayard wandered for hours in the water until it was able to free itself and then return to shore.
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Even today, it is still said that you can see the fabulous horse and hear the desperate cries and neighing he makes from not being able to find his masters....
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