Ruggiero had originally appeared in the twelfth-century French epic Aspremont, reworked by Andrea da Barberino as the chivalric romance Aspramonte.

When Ruggiero's father is betrayed and murdered, his mother escapes to the sea by boat, lands on the shores of Libya and dies after giving birth to twins.

His first possible fate is to convert to Christianity, marry Bradamante and sire a line of heroes that lead to the noble house of Este in Italy, but will be betrayed and killed soon after his marriage.

Atlante is fiercely protective of Ruggiero and keeps him hidden in an invisible castle on the top of Mount Carena in Africa.

[2] The thief Brunello was sent east to the kingdom of Cathay to steal a magic ring from Angelica that would remove all enchantments from the wearer's eyes.

[7] After the battle is over for the day, Ruggiero meets and falls in love with the female Christian knight Bradamante (sister to Rinaldo).

Ruggiero is played by Ron Moss in the Italian film Paladini-storia d'armi e d'amori ("Paladins—the story of love and arms", aka "Hearts and Armour").