In the Middle Ages, a palmer (Latin: palmariusorpalmerius) was a Christian pilgrim, normally from Western Europe, who had visited the holy places in Palestine and who, as a token of his visits to the Holy Land, brought back a palm leaf or a palm leaf folded into a cross. Palmers were often highly regarded as well-natured holy men because of their devotion to Christ along the pilgrimage. The word is frequently used as synonymous with "pilgrim".[1]
One of the most prominent literary characters to have been a palmer was Wilfred of Ivanhoe, the title character of the book by Sir Walter Scott.[2] A palmer also plays a significant role representing Reason in Book II of Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene.[3]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Palmer". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 645.