Rinaldo (in Jerusalem Delivered)
.The Achilles of the Christian army. “He despises gold and power, but craves renown” (bk. i.). He was the son of Bertoldo and Sophia, and nephew of Guelpho, but was brought up by Matilda. At the age of fifteen he ran away and joined the Crusaders, where he was enrolled in the adventurersʹ squadron. Having slain Gernando, he was summoned by Godfrey to public trial, but went into voluntary exile. The pedigree of Rinaldo, of the noble house of Este, is traced from Actius on the male side and Augustus on the female to Actius VI. (bk. xvii.).
Rinaldo (in Orlando Furioso). Son of the fourth Marquis dʹEste, cousin of Orlando, Lord of Mount Auban or Albano, eldest son of Amon or Aymon, nephew of Charlemagne, and Bradamant’s brother. (See Albaʹno.) He was the rival of his cousin Orlando, but Angelica detested him. He was called “Clarmont’s leader,” and brought an auxiliary force of English and Scotch to Charlemagne, which “Silence” conducted into Paris.
Rinaldo or Renaud, one of the paladins of Charlemagne, is always painted with the characteristics of a borderer—valiant, ingenious, rapacious, and unscrupulous.
