Lamorak
Encyclopedia
Lamorak is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He is the son of King Pellinore
and the brother of Tor
, Aglovale
, Percival
, the Grail
maiden Dindrane
and sometimes others.
He makes his first appearance in the Prose Tristan
, and shows up in later works like the Post-Vulgate Cycle
and Sir Thomas Malory
's Le Morte d'Arthur
. Lamorak's father Pellinore was one of King Arthur
's earliest allies, but he thrusts his family into a bloodfeud when he kills King Lot
of Lothian
in a battle. Ten years later Lot's sons Gawain
and Gaheris
avenge their father's death by slaying Pellinore in a duel. Lamorak grows up to join the Round Table, and despite the enmity between the two families, he begins an affair with Lot's widow Morgause
. Gaheris catches the lovers together while Morgause is staying at Gawain's estate, and he promptly beheads her (In some modern versions of the story, it is Agravaine who kills his mother, not Gaheris). He lets the unarmed Lamorak go. He reappears at a tournament and explains the situation to Arthur, but refuses the king's promise of a truce. When he rides off, he is ambushed by Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Mordred
; Mordred delivers the blow that kills him. A cousin of Lamorak's, Sir Pinel le Savage, attempts to avenge his death by poisoning Gawain at Guinevere
's dinner party, but the poison is accidentally taken by another knight, whose kinsman blames the queen and tries to have her executed.
Lamorak was known for his strength and fiery temper, and fought off thirty knights on at least two occasions. Some sources refer to him as Arthur's third best knight, behind only Lancelot
and Tristan
, but he was not exceptionally popular in the romance tradition, confined to the cyclical material, subordinate to more major characters.
Pellinore
King Pellinore is the king of Listenoise or of "the Isles" , according to the Arthurian legend. Son of King Pellam and brother of Kings Pelles and Alain, he is most famous for his endless hunt of the Questing Beast, which he is tracking when King Arthur first meets him...
and the brother of Tor
Sir Tor
Sir Tor is a Knight of the Round Table according to Arthurian legend. He appears frequently in Arthurian literature.In earlier mentions Tor's father is King Ars or Aries, but the Post-Vulgate Cycle and Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur say this man is his adoptive father while his natural...
, Aglovale
Aglovale
Sir Aglovale de Galis is the eldest legitimate son of King Pellinore in the Arthurian legend. Like his brothers Sir Tor, Sir Lamorak, Sir Dornar and Sir Percival, he is a Knight of the Round Table. In romance, Aglovale never cuts as impressive a figure as his brothers Lamorak and Percival, but his...
, Percival
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...
, the Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
maiden Dindrane
Dindrane
In Arthurian Legend, Dindrane is the sister of Percival. Though she is frequently not given a name, Percival's sister is a major character in many of the Holy Grail stories and is sometimes claimed as the "Grail heroine"....
and sometimes others.
He makes his first appearance in the Prose Tristan
Prose Tristan
The Prose Tristan is an adaptation of the Tristan and Iseult story into a long prose romance, and the first to tie the subject entirely into the arc of the Arthurian legend...
, and shows up in later works like the Post-Vulgate Cycle
Post-Vulgate Cycle
The Post-Vulgate Cycle is one of the major Old French prose cycles of Arthurian literature. It is essentially a rehandling of the earlier Vulgate Cycle , with much left out and much added, including characters and scenes from the Prose Tristan.The Post-Vulgate, written probably between 1230 and...
and Sir Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
's Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table...
. Lamorak's father Pellinore was one of King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's earliest allies, but he thrusts his family into a bloodfeud when he kills King Lot
King Lot
Lot or Loth is the eponymous king of Lothian in the Arthurian legend. He is best known as the father of Sir Gawain. Such a ruler evidently first appeared in hagiographical material concerning Saint Kentigern , which feature a Leudonus, king of Leudonia, a Latin name for Lothian...
of Lothian
Lothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
in a battle. Ten years later Lot's sons Gawain
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 the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
and Gaheris
Gaheris
Gaheris is a figure of Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table, and a son of Morgause and King Lot of Orkney and Lothian. His brothers are Gawain, Agravaine, Gareth and Mordred, a half-brother. His mother is a daughter of Gorlois and Igraine, and a sister of Elaine and Morgan le Fay...
avenge their father's death by slaying Pellinore in a duel. Lamorak grows up to join the Round Table, and despite the enmity between the two families, he begins an affair with Lot's widow Morgause
Morgause
Morgause , known in earlier works as Gwyar or Anna, is the sister or half-sister of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend. In her earliest appearance she is Arthur's full sister by Uther Pendragon and Igraine; Gwyar is her name and she is the mother of Gwalchmei...
. Gaheris catches the lovers together while Morgause is staying at Gawain's estate, and he promptly beheads her (In some modern versions of the story, it is Agravaine who kills his mother, not Gaheris). He lets the unarmed Lamorak go. He reappears at a tournament and explains the situation to Arthur, but refuses the king's promise of a truce. When he rides off, he is ambushed by Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
; Mordred delivers the blow that kills him. A cousin of Lamorak's, Sir Pinel le Savage, attempts to avenge his death by poisoning Gawain at Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
's dinner party, but the poison is accidentally taken by another knight, whose kinsman blames the queen and tries to have her executed.
Lamorak was known for his strength and fiery temper, and fought off thirty knights on at least two occasions. Some sources refer to him as Arthur's third best knight, behind only Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
and Tristan
Tristan
Tristan is one of the main characters of the Tristan and Iseult story, a Cornish hero and one of the Knights of the Round Table featuring in the Matter of Britain...
, but he was not exceptionally popular in the romance tradition, confined to the cyclical material, subordinate to more major characters.