If you are not familiar with the
legends of King Arthur, or if you know only the major players, the list below will provide
you with a catalog of the principal characters and a brief description of their
relationship to the stories. Not only does the following give you a list of
characters, it also provides you with a series of possible research topics. You can go the
the MysticalWWW
or to the Arthurian
Characters page to find out more about most of these characters. Also,
additional links are associated with the names below.
Sir
Accolon of Gaul: Lover of Mogan le Fay, employed by her in a plot to kill
Arthur; he is killed in combat with Arthur.
Sir Agravain: Knight of the Round Table; younger brother of Sir Gawain;
joined with Sir Mordred to expose Lancelot's and Guinevere's love to King Arthur; killed
by Lancelot.
King Arthur: King of Logres (England) and High King over a large number of
other countries; crowned Roman Emperor according to some sources; son of Uther Pendragon
and Igraine of Cornwall, husband of Queen Guinevere; founder of the Round Table.
Sir Balan:
Knight of the Round Table, brother of Sir Balin; killed by Balin in single combat.
Sir Balin
le Savage: Knight of the Round Table, from Northumberland, who struck the
Dolorous Stroke; killed and was killed by his brother Sir Balan; also known as the Knight
with the Two Swords.
Sir Bedevere: Knight of the Round Table; supporter of Arthur from the
beginning of his reign; the only knight to survive the Battle of Camlann.
Sir Bernard of Astolat: Father of Elaine of Astolat, Sir Lavaine and Sir
Tirry.
Sir Berilak de Hautdesert: Lord of the castle of Hautdesert where Sir
Gawain stayed during his quest for the Green Chapel; identical with the Green Knight.
Sir Bors: Knight of the Round Table; son of King Bors, brother of Sir
Lionel; the only knight to achieve the Quest of the Holy Grail and to survive and return
to Arthur's court.
Lady Brangane: Cousin and confidante of Isolde the Fair, who accidentally
allowed Tristan and Isolde to drink the love potion.
Sir Ector: Foster father of Arthur and father of Sir Kay the Seneschal.
Elaine of
Astolat: Daughter of Sir Bernard of Astolat; died of unrequited love for
Lancelot.
Elaine of Corbenic: Daughter of King Pelles, mother of Sir Galahad.
Sir
Gaheris: Knight of the Round Table; younger brother of Sir Gawain; killed by
Sir Lancelot.
Sir
Galahad: Son of Sir Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic. The best knight
in the world who achieves the Quest for the Holy Grail.
Sir
Gareth: Knight of the Round Table; younger brother of Sir Gawain; killed by
Sir Lancelot.
Sir
Gawain: Knight of the Round Table; son of King Lot of Orkney and Queen
Morgause, nephew of Arthur; hero of many romances; killed in battle against his
half-brother Sir Mordred.
Queen
Guinevere: Daughter of King Leodegraunce of Cameliard, wife of King Arthur,
lover of Sir Lancelot.
Igraine:
Duchess of Cornwall, wife of Gorlois
of Cornwall, and later of Uther Pendragon. Mother of Morgan le Fay and Morgause
by Gorlois, and of Arthur by Uther.
Isolde
the Fair: Daughter of King Anguish and Queen Isolde of Ireland, wife of
King Mark of Cornwall, lover of Sir Tristan.
Isolde of the White Hands: Daughter of Duke Hoel of Brittany, wife of Sir
Tristan.
Sir Kay the Seneschal: Knight of the Round table; son of Sir Ector and
foster-brother and seneschal of Arthur.
Lady
of the Lake: Mysterious faery lady who gave Excalibur to Arthur, later
killed by Sir Balin; also brought up Sir Lancelot du Lake from infancy.
Sir
Lancelot: Knight of the Round Table, son of Kin Ban of Benwick, lover of
Queen Guinevere, hero of many romances and best knight after Sir Galahad.
King Lot of Orkney: King of Orkney, Lothain and (in Geoffrey of Monmouth)
Norway; husband of Arthur's half-sister Morgause/Anna, father of Gawain, Gaheris, Gareth
and Agravain; killed by King Pellinore.
Mark,
King of Cornwall: Uncle of Sir Tristan and husband of Isolde the Fair.
Sir
Meleagant: Son of King Bagdemagus of Gore, abducted Queen Guinevere; killed
by Sir Lancelot.
Merlin:
Prophet and magician; adviser to King Uther Pendragon and later to Arthur, whose early
life he guided.
Sir
Mordred: Knight of the Round Table, illegitimate son of Arthur by his
half-sister Morgause; usurped throne; killed by Arthur at the Battle of Camlann.
Queen
Morgan le Fay: Daughter of Gorlois and Igraine of Cornwall; half-sister and
enemy of Arthur; enchantress;
wife of King Urien of Gore.
Queen Morgause: Daughter of Gorlois and Igraine of Cornwall; half--sister
of Arthur; mother of Mordred; wife of King Lot of Orkney; mother of Sir Gawain, Sir
Gareth, Sir Gaheris and Sir Agravain.
Nimue/Niniane/Viviane:
a damsel of the lake, who learned magic from Merlin and then imprisoned him in a stone
tomb.
King Pelles: The Maimed King of Castle Corbenic; descended from Joseph of
Arimathea and guardian of the Holy Grail; father of Elaine and grandfather of the Grail
knight, Sir Galahad; maimed by Sir Balin (the Dolorous Stroke), healed by Sir Galahad.
King Pellinore: Knight of the Round Table; ally of King Arthur; father of
Sir Perceval, Sir Tor, Sir Lamorak and Sir Aglovale; killed King Lot of Orkney and was
killed by Sir Gawain in revenge.
Sir
Perceval: Knight of the Round Table; son of King Pellinore according to
Malory; original hero of the Grail quest; relegated to the second best by author of the Aueste
del Saint Graal.
Sir
Tristan: Son of Rivalin and Blanchefleur, nephew of King Mark of
Cornwall; lover of Isolde the Fair; husband of Isolde of the White Hands.
King Uriens of Gore: King of Gore; husband of Arthur's half-sister Morgan
le Fay; father of Ywain.
King Uther Pendragon: King of England; father of Arthur.
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