Sir Gawain

Gawain is King Arthur's nephew and

a Knight of the Round Table who appears very

early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is

one of a select number of Round Table members

to be referred to as one of the greatest knights,

most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green

Knight . He is almost always portrayed as the son

of Arthur's sister Morgause (or Anna) and

King Lot of Orkney and Lothian, and his brothers

are Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth, and Mordred. He

was well known to be the most trustworthy friend

of Sir Lancelot. In some works he has sisters as

well. According to some legends, he would have

been the true and rightful heir to the throne

of Camelot, after the reign of King Arthur. 

Gawain is often portrayed as a formidable,

compassionate, and a courteous warrior, fiercely

loyal to his king and family. He is a friend to young knights, a defender of the poor, and as

"the Maidens' Knight", a defender of women as well. In some works, his strength waxes

and wanes with the sun; in the most common form of this motif, his might triples by noon,

but fades as the sun sets. His knowledge of herbs makes him a great healer, and he is

credited with at least three children: Florence, Lovell, andGingalain, the last of which is

also called Libeaus Desconus or Le Bel Inconnu, the Fair Unknown. In

later Welsh Arthurian literature, Gawain is considered synonymous with the native

champion Gwalchmei. Gawain appears in English, French and Celtic literature as well as

in Italy where he appears in the architecture of the north portal in the cathedral of Modena,

constructed in 1184.

Gawain becomes best known for his unquenchable desire for vengeance on

Lancelot, who accidentally kills two of Gawain’s brothers. The two former friends

eventually do battle, and Gawain is mortally wounded. After he dies at the city of Dover,

most tales say that his body is taken back to King Arthur’s castle, Camelot, for burial. In

 Le morte d’Arthur  (1469-1470; The Death of Arthur ) by English writer Sir Thomas

Malory, Gawain is buried not at Camelot but at Dover, after which he appears to Arthur in

a dream to beg the king not to do battle with Mordred, Arthur's illegitimate son.

 

Sir Lancelot

Sir Lancelot was the son of King Ban ofBenwick (possibly Guenet in Brittany) by his wifeElaine. After his father's death, he was left near alake by his mother and was taken in by themystical Lady of the Lake who raised him. Whenhe grew up, Sir Lancelot travelled to the BritishRoyal Court and set up home at Castle JoyousGuard (Bamburgh Castle) in Northern Britain. Hebecame King Arthur's trusted companion and aKnight of the Round Table. Unfortunatelyhowever, he fell in love with QueenGuinevereand commenced a prolonged affairwith her. When Guinevere was abducted by KingMeleagant of the Summer Country (Glastenning),Lancelot pursued him in a cart, a humble mode ofconveyance in which the knight was reluctant totravel. The two fought, but the villain’s fatherpleaded with Guinevere to spare Meleagant’s life.So their combat was stopped. After further insultshowever, Lancelot eventually slew him atArthur's court. Sir Lancelot was also the object ofthe affections of Elaine the Lily Maid of Astolat (supposedly Guildford) who died of a brokenheart when he rejected her. An old story tells how, while visiting her father, Lancelot wentriding in Windsor Forest. He fell asleep by St. Leonard’s Well (in the grounds of Legoland),

 just as a lady and her hunting party arrived chasing a deer. She immediately shot the poorknight in the buttocks and rode off! Another Elaine was the daughter of King Pelles of Ebrauc(York) and, when Lancelot stayed with them, the family nurse arranged for their illustriousguest to sleep with Elaine, whom he mistook for Guinevere. As a result, Sir Galahad wasconceived. When this happened a second time, Guinevere discovered the pair in flagrantedelicto and sent Lancelot packing. The lovers were, however, soon reunited. Years later, SirGalahad arrived at court. He was knighted by his father and the Grail Quest began. Duringthis adventure, Galahad outshone his father. Sir Lancelot was unable to succeed because of hissinful relationship with Guinevere, despite his promise to end the affair and to perform acts ofpenance. When he tried to approach the Holy Grail, he was knocked unconscious. Lancelotand Guinevere were eventually discovered together by the evil Sir Mordred. Sir Lancelot fled,but returned to rescue Guinevere from being burnt at the stake. He killedSirs Agravaine, Gaheris and Gareth in the process. War between him and King Arthurfollowed but was broken off when the the latter had to return to Britain to deal with SirMordred's rebellion. 

 

Sir Galahad

Sir Galahad was the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot by Lady Elaine of Corbenic. Hewas placed under the care his paternal great aunt and grew up at the nunnery where she

was abbess. Upon reaching adulthood, his father knighted him and took him to Camelot. 

At the Royal Court, Galahad sat in the “Siege Perilous” - the seat reserved by God for the

purest of knights - yet no calamity befell him. Like Arthur had done so many years before,

he then drew a sword from a stone which bore a message declaring him to be the World’s

best knight! He was immediately welcomed to the Order of the Round Table and was

present at the vision of the Grail, when he was chosen as one of those to seek this holiest

of relics.

Galahad left on his quest with a shield made by King Evelake and painted with a red cross

of blood by St. Joseph of Arimathea. This was joined by King David’s sword when he met

up with Sirs Bors, Percivale and the latter’s sister. Upon the lady’s death, the trio split up

and, for a while, Galahad traveled with his father, visiting King Evelake together. Back 

with Bors and Percivale, the three arrived at Castle Corbenic and together they found the

Holy Grail. Galahad cured the Maimed King there of his ailment by anointing him with

blood from the Dolorous Spear and the spirit of St. Joseph of Arimathea appeared and

celebrated mass with the three. A vision of Christ then told Galahad how he would have

more time with the Grail in the country of Sarras. So the knights left Corbenic and sailed

for Sarras; and the Grail appeared to them once more onboard ship. Upon arrival, thepagan King Estorause threw them in prison; but

the Grail sustained them and, when the King

died, Galahad was able to take control of the

country. A year later St. Joseph of Arimathea

appeared to him with the Grail once more.

Galahad celebrated mass and, having reached his

lifelong goal, asked that he should be allowed to

die. This he did in peace.

The origins of Galahad’s character are

uncertain. The name may be taken from the

Palestinian location, Gilead, or he may be

connected with Welsh characters, such

as Gwalhafed or St. Illtud. 

 

Sir Percival

Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. 

In Welsh literature his story is allotted to the historical Peredur. He is most famous for his

involvement in the quest for the grail.  Chrétien de Troyes wrote the first story of Perceval, le

Conte du Graal; Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, Sir Thomas Malory's  Le Morte d'Arthur , 

and the now lost Perceval of Robert de Boron are other famous accounts of his adventures.

There are many versions of Perceval's birth. In most accounts he is of noble birth; his father is

either King Pellinore or another worthy knight. His mother is usually unnamed but plays a

significant role in the stories. His sister is the bearer of the Holy Grail, she is sometimes

named Dindrane. In tales where he is Pellinore's son his brothers are Sir Aglovale, 

Sir Lamorak and Sir Dornar, and by his father's affair with a peasant woman he also has a half-

brother named Sir Tor. 

After the death of his father, Perceval's mother takes him to the Welsh forests where she

raises him ignorant to the ways of men until the age of 15. Eventually, however, a group of 

knights passes through his wood, and Perceval is struck by their heroic bearing. Wanting to be a

knight himself, the boy travels to King Arthur's court, and after proving his worthiness as a

warrior he is knighted and invited to join the Knights of the Round Table. In the earliest story

about him he is connected to the grail. In Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail, he

meets the crippled Fisher King and sees a grail, not yet identified as "holy", but he fails to ask a

question that would have healed the injured king.

Upon learning of his mistake he vows to find the Grail

castle again and fulfill his quest but Chretien's story

breaks off soon after, to be continued in a number of 

different ways by various authors.

In later accounts, the true Grail hero

is Galahad, Lancelot's son. But though his role in the

romances had been diminished, Percival remained a

major character and was one of only two knights (the

other was Sir Bors) who accompanied Galahad to the

Grail castle and completed the quest with him.

In early versions, Perceval's sweetheart

was Blanchefleur and he became the King

of Carbonek after healing the Fisher King, but in later

versions he was a virgin who died after achieving the

Grail. In Wolfram's version, Perceval's son

is Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan.