'''Bradamante''' (occasionally spelled '''Bradamant''') is a fictional knight heroine in two epic poems of the Renaissance: Orlando Innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. Since the poems exerted a wide influence on later culture, she became a recurring character in Western art.

Bradamante, a female Christian knight in the service of Charlemagne, is the sister of Rinaldo and the daughter of Amon, duke of Dordognes. She falls in love with a Saracen warrior named Ruggiero but refuses to marry unless he converts from Islam. An expert in combat, she wields a magical lance that unhorses anyone it touches, and rescues Ruggiero from being imprisoned by the wizard Atlantes. She is described as wearing white, with a white shield and a crest of a pennon.

She is one of the French warriors fighting during a Saracen invasion of France. She is fighting the Saracen Rodomont when Ruggiero informs her Charlemagne is retreating. Bradamante tries to leave to join the rest of the French forces, but Rodomont keeps her from leaving. Ruggiero, finding Rodomont’s actions dishonorable, steps in to fight Rodomont to allow Bradamante to leave. However, Bradamante cannot catch up to Charlemagne’s army and returns to Rodomont and Ruggiero, feeling guilty for leaving someone else to fight in her place. Rodomont is impressed with the honor of Ruggiero and Bradamante and rides off, leaving Ruggiero and Bradamante together. They are mutually impressed with one another and share their identities. Bradamante also removes her helmet, revealing to Ruggiero for the first time that she is a woman. An ambush then manages to separate them.

The two lovers are separated many times in the story, and Bradamante faces many challenges. She travels to a castle made of steel to rescue Ruggiero from the wizard Atlantes with the help of the sorceress Melissa and a magic ring, escapes from a castle full of illusions, and encounters many other difficulties.

After the lovers are reunited, Rinaldo grants Ruggiero his blessing to marry Bradamante. However, her parents reject the suitor even after Ruggiero converts, preferring Leo, the son of the Greek emperor Constantine. Bradamante convinces Charlemagne to decree that she will only marry a man who can withstand her in battle, greatly angering her parents, who reluctantly agree. Ruggiero sets off to kill Leo; on the way, he finds the Constantine’s forces battling the Bulgarians. Ruggiero immediately enters the battle to assist the Bulgarians, who had been losing, and manages to turn the tide of the battle. However, he is captured and imprisoned by the Greeks. Leo, impressed with Ruggiero’s valor, frees him. He then asks for a favor, and Ruggiero, grateful for his freedom, promises to grant whatever Leo asks. Leo, having learned of Bradamante’s challenge and knowing he isn’t strong enough to win against her, asks that Ruggiero fight Bradamante on his behalf. Ruggiero reluctantly keeps his promise and disguises himself as Leo to fight Bradamante. He wins the match and retreats to the woods, wishing to die. There, Leo finds him and asks what is wrong. After Ruggiero reveals his identity and that he is in love with Bradamante, Leo annuls the engagement to let Bradamante and Ruggiero wed. At the end, their marriage gives rise to the noble House of Este, who were patrons to both Boiardo and Ariosto.

The poems drew from legends of Charlemagne, chansons de geste, and blended recurring motifs found in the Matter of France and the Matter of Britain. Bradamante and Ruggiero's romance is most likely made to parallel the romance of Angelica and Orlando. Bradamante and Ruggiero's love is reciprocated and honorable, whereas Orlando is driven mad with love and Angelica despises him. Bradamante also spends much of Orlando Furioso chasing down her love to save him, contrasting with Angelica, who spends most of the story running from Orlando.

All published appearances of Bradamante from before January 1, )-(95)}} are public domain.

Some notable appearances are listed below:

*Orlando Innamorato
*Orlando Furioso
*Bradamante by Robert Garnier

*La Bradamante by Pietro Paolo Bissari
*Bradamante by Louis Lacoste
*Bradamante by Heinrich Joseph von Collin
*Bradamante by Eduard Tauwitz
*Alcina by Handel
*Il Ruggiero by Johann Adolph Hasse

*The DC Comics character Valda, is the daughter of Bradamante.
*The Gun and Nael van Darnus's gunhalberd of the same name from the Final Fantasy Franchise, were named after Bradamante.

*Wikipedia
*[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bradamante-fictional-character Britannica]
*Myths in Media Wiki
Category:Non-Powered Characters
Category:Heroes
Category:Equestrian Characters
Category:1483 Debuts
Category:Matteo Maria Boiardo - Creator
Category:Female Characters
Category:French Characters
Category:Christian Characters
Category:Armored Characters
Category:Protagonists
Category:Legendary Characters
Category:Literary Characters
Category:Theatre Characters
Category:Opera Characters
Category:Movie Characters
Category:Manga / Anime Characters
Category:Video Game Characters
Category:Fate Franchise Characters
Category:Puzzle & Dragons Characters
Category:Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster
Category:TCG Characters
Category:Age of Ishtaria Characters
Category:Final Fantasy Characters
Category:Monster Strike Characters
Category:DC Characters
Category:Comic Book Characters
Category:White Themed Characters
Category:Toys
Category:Aeon Crash Characters
Category:Astral Stairways Characters
Category:Destiny Child Characters
Category:Summons Board Characters
Category:Soul Reverse Zero Characters
Category:Destripando la Historia Characters