King Horn is the name given to one of the earliest surviving English romances in verse. The poem is about 1,500 lines long and dates from about 1225. Its hero, Horn, is the son and heir of the king of Suddene. Saracens conquer Suddene and set Horn adrift in a boat. He lands in Westernesse, where the king’s daughter, Rymenhild, falls in love with him. A companion betrays the couple, and Horn is banished. He goes to Ireland, where he fights for a local king. With a band of warriors, he returns to Westernesse in time to save Rymenhild from an unwelcome marriage. Horn marries Rymenhild and reconquers Suddene.
