Ros Beiaard

The Ros Beiaard of Dendermonde is a folkloristic horse, which finds its origin in the saga of the Four "Heemskinderen". It is the main figure in a ten-yearly, medieval procession. The Ros Beiaard of Dendermonde is since 2005 on the Unesco World Heritage List.

###The Legend
Aymon, lord of Dendermonde, lived for years in quarrel with Charlemagne. Reconciliation only came when lord Aymon married Adelheid, a sister of Charlemagne. The couple gave birth to four sturdy sons: Ritsaert, Writsaert, Adelaert and Reinout. Their father knighted them and gave them each a horse. Reinout, however, was so strong that he felled his mount with one blow. He was offered a second horse, but he broke it on the first ride. Since a knight had to have a horse after all, lord Aymon took his son to a castle where the universally feared Ros Beiaard was locked up. After a heroic fight, Reinout managed to tame the horse.

During a heated discussion at Charlemagne's court, Reinout beheaded Charlemagne's son Louis with a single stroke of his sword. The Four Heemskinderen (four sons of Aymons), seated on Beiaard, fled. From their strong fortress, the four knights defended themselves against Charlemagne's constantly attacking troops. The four brothers, however, realised the battle was unequal and Beiaard brought them back to their parental home in Dendermonde. There they found their grieving mother. Lord Aymon had namely fallen into the hands of Charlemagne. Charlemagne would only make peace if the Ros Beiaard was handed over to him. Reinout was unwilling to accept this proposal, but finally gave in to his mother's plea.

The Ros was taken to the mouth of the river Dender, had a number of heavy millstones placed around its neck and was thrown into the water. Twice the steed shattered the stones and whinnied to the shore where Reinout was standing. The tragic spectacle became too much for the knight and he turned his head away. The Ros Beiaard surfaced for a third time, thought his master was denying him and drowned.

###The people

The Ros Beiaard finds its origin in the religious processions that passed through the streets of Dendermonde in the Middle Ages. Since the 15th century, more and more worldly elements were added to these processions, among which giant figures. Throughout time, the Ros Beiaard grew into the protagonist of its own circumambulation. Every 10 years the Ros Carillon is carried through the city under massive interest. The Ros Beiaard is preceded by a medieval procession with hundreds of extras, acrobats and floats which also tells the Ros Beiaard saga.

The Ros Beiaard is the unsurpassed symbol of Dendermonde and the pride of its people. When a circumambulation is announced, the tension and nervousness in the city increases and every inhabitant lives in ecstasy towards the circumambulation of the Ros Beiaard. Many people look forward to the day of the circumambulation with a lot of extra activities.

The period of 10 years between two circumnavigations plays on the emotional chord of the inhabitants; after all, in 10 years, a lot changes in a human life. Especially at a later age, people realise that it might be the last time they watch the circumambulation together with their parents, that they might watch it for the first time with their own children, or that older people might realise that it is the last time they will be able to see their horse. In this way the Ros Carillon also forms an emotionally charged beacon in time.

###A rivalry

The rivalry between the neighbouring city of Aalst and Dendermonde probably originated around 1195. The lord of Dendermonde asked too high a toll on the navigation on the Dender to the people of Aalst. When the inhabitants of Aalst filed a complaint to the Count of Flanders and were proven right, a whole series of teasings, mocking songs and name-calling took place between the two cities.

Logically, the Dendermond Ros Beiaard is also a thorn in the flesh of the people of Aalst. They find it a rather pathetic spectacle that so much fuss is made about a horse that once in a while makes its rounds and moves a lot of people to tears in the process. As a playful answer, the "Ros Balatum" rides through the streets of Aalst every year during Aalst Carnival and it has become a tradition - especially during the Carnival period in Aalst or in the run-up to the Ros Beiaard procession - to mock the Ros Beiaard, to the great indignation of the people of Dendermonde. The list of deeds within this "feud" is quite long, in which the (attempted) kidnapping of each other's town officials and mayors was no exception, just like both towns regularly sought to steal each other's horse.

The "rivalry" between these two cities is kept alive on both sides to this day, although it must be said that it is more a case of friendly banter and humorous antics.