1592, "one of the 12 knights in attendance on Charlemagne," from M.Fr.
paladin "a warrior," from It.
paladino, from L.
palatinus "palace official;" noun use of
palatinus "of the palace" (see
palace). The O.Fr. form of the word was
palaisin (which gave M.E.
palasin, c.1400); the It. form prevailed because, though the matter was French, the poets who wrote the romances were mostly Italians.