Sir Balan
Encyclopedia
Sir Balan le Savage, brother of Sir Balin
from Northumberland
, is a minor character mentioned in various Arthurian legends. His story is retold, along with his brother's, in The Ballad of Balin and Balan, Book II in Malory's Le Morté d' Arthur
and by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
in Idylls of the King
.
After Balin fought with Sir Lanceor of Ireland and killed him (in turn causing Lanceor's lover Colombe to take her own life, which makes him destined to make the Dolorous Stroke
), he went on to find his brother Balan, who was also in disfavour of King Arthur
. Merlin foretold of a curse that was laid on the brothers by a damsel after Balin drew a magical sword from the damsel's gilt and failed to return it, thereby laying a fatal curse "on him and the man he loves most".
Balan, joined by his brother, decide to attack King Rience
in order to regain their lost honour for King Arthur. The Brothers succeeded in ambushing Rience en route to sleep with the Lady de Vance and brought the king before Arthur. Rience's capture resulted in the forming of an alliance of twelve rebel kings, including King Rience's brother, King Nero. The kings, most notably Nero and Lot, were captured or killed by Arthur with the help of Balin and Balan.
After the battle, Balan comes across a cursed knight, guarding an island castle, who challenges all knights who approach. Balan slays the cursed knight at the gate, whereby falling under the same curse that holds him to protect the castle from any passersby. Sir Balin eventually comes across the castle, and is told that he must joust with the guarding knight in order to continue his passage. Neither brother, however, recognises that his opponent is his brother: Balan being in disguising red armour with an unrecognisable shield; Balin having been persuaded just before the battle to swap his own shield. The brothers end up fighting to the death, with Balan dying a few hours prior to Balin's own end.
The brothers were buried together on the island by Merlin
, who also left the infamous sword on the island later to be found by Galahad
.
In T. H. White
's The Sword in the Stone
, Balin and Balan are the names of two hawks that the Wart meets in the mews; Balan is helpful and kindly, while Balin is more eager to see the Wart have a hard time.
Sir Balin
Sir Balin le Savage , also known as the Knight with the Two Swords, is a character in the Arthurian legend. Merlin told King Arthur he would have been his best and bravest knight. A knight before the Round Table was formed, Sir Balin hails from Northumberland, and is associated with Sir Balan, his...
from Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, is a minor character mentioned in various Arthurian legends. His story is retold, along with his brother's, in The Ballad of Balin and Balan, Book II in Malory's Le Morté 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...
and by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language....
in Idylls of the King
Idylls of the King
Idylls of the King, published between 1856 and 1885, is a cycle of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson which retells the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, and the rise and fall of Arthur's kingdom...
.
After Balin fought with Sir Lanceor of Ireland and killed him (in turn causing Lanceor's lover Colombe to take her own life, which makes him destined to make the Dolorous Stroke
Dolorous Stroke
The Dolorous Stroke is a trope in Arthurian legend and some other stories of Celtic origin.In its fullest form, it concerns the Fisher King , the guardian of the Holy Grail, who falls into sin and consequently suffers a wound from a mystical weapon...
), he went on to find his brother Balan, who was also in disfavour 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...
. Merlin foretold of a curse that was laid on the brothers by a damsel after Balin drew a magical sword from the damsel's gilt and failed to return it, thereby laying a fatal curse "on him and the man he loves most".
Balan, joined by his brother, decide to attack King Rience
Rience
King Rience is a character from Arthurian legend, an enemy of King Arthur in the early years of his reign...
in order to regain their lost honour for King Arthur. The Brothers succeeded in ambushing Rience en route to sleep with the Lady de Vance and brought the king before Arthur. Rience's capture resulted in the forming of an alliance of twelve rebel kings, including King Rience's brother, King Nero. The kings, most notably Nero and Lot, were captured or killed by Arthur with the help of Balin and Balan.
After the battle, Balan comes across a cursed knight, guarding an island castle, who challenges all knights who approach. Balan slays the cursed knight at the gate, whereby falling under the same curse that holds him to protect the castle from any passersby. Sir Balin eventually comes across the castle, and is told that he must joust with the guarding knight in order to continue his passage. Neither brother, however, recognises that his opponent is his brother: Balan being in disguising red armour with an unrecognisable shield; Balin having been persuaded just before the battle to swap his own shield. The brothers end up fighting to the death, with Balan dying a few hours prior to Balin's own end.
The brothers were buried together on the island by Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
, who also left the infamous sword on the island later to be found by Galahad
Galahad
Sir Galahad |Round Table]] and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic, and is renowned for his gallantry and purity. Emerging quite late in the medieval Arthurian tradition, he is perhaps the knightly...
.
In T. H. White
T. H. White
Terence Hanbury White was an English author best known for his sequence of Arthurian novels, The Once and Future King, first published together in 1958.-Biography:...
's The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone
The Sword in the Stone is a novel by T. H. White, published in 1939, initially a stand-alone work but now the first part of a tetralogy The Once and Future King. A fantasy of the boyhood of King Arthur, it is a sui generis work which combines elements of legend, history, fantasy and comedy...
, Balin and Balan are the names of two hawks that the Wart meets in the mews; Balan is helpful and kindly, while Balin is more eager to see the Wart have a hard time.