Thread by @GreatHallWinch

This year we have prepared a special #adventcalendar to share with you in the lead up to Christmas - 24 days to explore the 24 knights that feature on the Round Table that hangs in the Great Hall.

Behind door number 1 is Sir Galahallt (Sir Galahad) positioned next to King Arthur

Galahad is the son of Sir Lancelot & best known for his involvement in the Quest for the Holy Grail. The most worthy of the Knights of the Round Table, Galahad also succeeds in drawing a magic sword stuck in stone (much like Arthur)

Image: British Library Royal MS 14 E III f.91r

Behind door 2 we have the greatest knight who ever lived, or so Malory frequently proclaimed throughout Le Morte Darthur. We are of course referring to Sir Lancelot.

On a mission to rescue Guinevere, he performs many great feats including crossing a sharp“sword-bridge” 👇

Pictured above is the back of a fourteenth century ivory casket thought to depict the scene, along with a number of other iconic Arthurian characters.

Image The British Library Museum no. 1856,0623.166
bit.ly/3g47DC7

Day 3 of the #adventcalendar is "Sir Gauen". Gawain is a prominent member of the Knights of the Round Table and in some tales is even granted the legendary sword Excalibur by his uncle King Arthur

He features as the protagonist in the MEng poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 👇

During festivities at Camelot, the mysterious Green Knight challenges the court to take part in a "beheading game". Gawain agrees but is shocked to see that the Green Knight is seemingly fine when he picks up his own head.

Clearly strange forces are at work.

The tale follows as Gawain seeks out the Green Knight in a test of his knightly values. The pictured scene above depicts Gawain (left hand corner) meeting the Green Knight (right hand corner) for their final confrontation.

[The British Library Cotton Nero MS A x f. 129v]

Behind day 4 is Sir Perceval. From humble beginnings to an esteemed Knight of the Round Table, one of Percival's earliest appearances is in Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval ou le Conte du Graal, a twelfth century Old French romance.

In an early form of the Quest for the Grail story it is not Galahad who is the hero but Percival. Here he is pictured seeking help with his Quest at a hermitage from a fourteenth century manuscript.

Image: [The British Library Royal 14 E III f. 101v]

Behind door no. 5 #adventcalendar is Sir Lionel, the son of King Bors who often accompanies his cousin Lancelot on various quests. Here he is in a 14th c manuscript, kneeled before Queen Guinevere, presenting her with a letter from Lancelot

Image [British Library Add. MS 10293]

Behind door no. 6 is Sir Trystram delyens (Tristan/Tristram). Nephew of King Mark of Cornwall, he is best known for the tragic love he shares with Isolde/Iseult, bride to King Mark, when they accidentally consume a love potion (pictured👇 in BnF Français 112 f.239r) [1/4]

Malory's retelling of the Tristan story forms the longest book in Le Morte Darthur in which he is renowned for his skill in falconry, playing the harp and his martial abilities.

The Knights of the Round Table are instructed by King Arthur to bring Tristan to Camelot. [2/4]

Lancelot comes across him but their identities are unknown to each other as their shields are covered. They engage in a duel which lasts for four hours until Lancelot remarks that he simply must know the identity of the man that can match his strength. [3/4]

When they each reveal their identities and realise they are friends, not foes, they break down in tears for the harm they have caused - a common occurrence in chivalric literature and clearly a major pitfall of the knightly profession! [4/4]

Behind door number 7 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Garethe (Gareth), Gawain's youngest brother.

In Malory's Le Morte Darthur, Gareth seeks to prove his worth and become of the Knight of the Round Table through deeds rather than his relation to King Arthur. [1/3]

To achieve this he disguises himself as a kitchen boy and works alongside Sir Kay who rather scornfully bestows the nickname "Beaumains" ("Fair Hands"). In a series of great deeds, however, he is able to prove his worth before revealing his identity. [2/3]

The accidental death of Gareth at the hands of Lancelot sets in motion the events leading to the death of King Arthur and destruction of the Round Table.

Image [British Library Royal 14 E III f. 142v] in which Gareth and Gaheris help a wounded man. [3/3]

Behind door no. 8 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Bedwere (Bedivere).

Severely wounded, King Arthur instructs Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the lake. Not wanting to waste such a precious item, he hides it instead. When he returns, he is asked to detail what he saw. [1/3]

Bedivere replies "nothing". Not convinced, Arthur commands him to throw it away again. A similar exchange occurs a 2nd time before he finally does as instructed & is amazed to see a hand seize the sword. Mysterious ladies then appear in a boat to whisk Arthur away to Avalon.[2/3]

While this role is typically fulfilled by Bedivere (eg. 14c Stanzaic Morte Arthur & 15c Malory), in others sources it is his brother Griflet who returns the sword (pictured above in a 14th c MS containing part of the Lancelot-Grail cycle)[3/3]

[British Library Add. 10294 f. 94r]

Behind door no. 9 is Sir Blubrys (Bleoberis de Ganis). Pictured below is a page from the Winchester Manuscript of Le Morte Darthur. Heavily featured on this page is rubrication - the use of a different ink for emphasis. [1/2]

In this case, important names and places are in red ink. On the 5th line you should be able to make out "Bleoberys de ganys". His brother and cousin also feature on this page (line 5 and line 6) - can you work out who they are? [2/2]
Image [British Library Add. MS 59678 f. 161v]

10: Sir lacotemale tayle.

This one is a little unusual as it refers to a nickname. Like most unkind nicknames, it was granted by Sir Kay and refers to the ill-fitting surcoat that Sir Brunor wears after vowing to wear it for as long as his father's death goes unavenged [1/2]

Here he is in a 14th c MS of Ywain. While it may not be as aesthetically pleasing as some of the previous manuscripts featured in this series, it is one of the few depictions of the knight. He appears on the left hand side fighting with Galinan. [2/2]

Image [NLW MS 444D f. 28r]

Day 11: Sir Lucan, brother of Bedivere. He plays an important role in the 14th c Stanzaic Morte Arthur

Lucan is sent to negotiate the terms of a truce with Mordred. The terms are agreed to but Arthur remains wary and advises his men to charge at the first hint of treachery [1/3]

Unexpectedly, an adder bites one of Mordred's men and he draws his sword to strike the snake. At the sight of the blade, Arthur's men assume that Mordred's side are preparing to charge against them. The battle continues, culminating in the death of both Arthur and Mordred. [2/3]

Unfortunately the manuscript that the Stanzaic Morte Arthur features in isn't digitised, so please enjoy this cat-faced snake from a 15th century bestiary instead. [3/3]

Image: Kongelige Bibliotek, Bestiarius - Bestiary of Anne Walsh [GKS 1633 4º f. 49r]

12: Sir Plomyde (Palamedes) typically features as a challenger to Sir Tristan. In his appearance in Malory's Le Morte Darthur, he joins Lancelot's side in the war against Gawain.

His name is also given to an Old French romance, composed between 1235 and 1240. [1/3]

Although he does not feature as it's central character, it is at the request of "le roi Henri" that the romance is named after Palamedes, the most courteous of all the knights of the Round Table. This is claimed in the prologue to the tale (pictured👇in a 14th c. MS) [2/3]

The King Henry it is dedicated to is believed to be none other than our own Henry of Winchester, who ordered the construction of the Great Hall. [3/3]

Image: [British Library Add MS 12228 f.3r]

Behind door number 13 is Sir Lamorak. He is the son of King Pellinore, a prominent character early on in Malory's Le Morte Darthur who slays King Lot of Orkney (Gawain's father). This event sparks a series of conflicts and a decade-long feud between the sons of both kings. [1/2]

f. 28v from the Winchester Manuscript below features this fateful event, indicated by a manicule (👉). This type of marginalia is used by scribes to draw the reader's attention to passages of particular importance. [2/2]

Image: [British Library Add MS 59678 f. 28v]

Day 14 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Bors de Ganys.

When Guinevere is falsely accused of poisoning a knight in the 14th century Stanzaic Le Morte Arthur, it is Sir Bors who reluctantly agrees to fight on her behalf "unless one better comes to bear the battle". [1/2]

He rides into the forest with Ector and Lionel and they come across Sir Lancelot du Lake who proclaims that he instead will defend Guinevere in disguise.

Sir Bors is pictured below seated at the Round Table, between Gawain and Lancelot. [2/2]

Image: [BnF Français 116 f.610v]

15: Sir Safer, Palamedes' younger brother.

In the 15th and 16th centuries there were attempts to produce illustrations of the arms for all of the knights of the Round Table. An example below, from a French manuscript containing 175 paintings, is a rather garish design [1/2]

for Safir. This design would be described as "Party per pale vair, chequy or & vert"
To break it down:
▪️ Division into two equal parts
▪️ A "fur" design
▪️ A checkered design, gold and green. [2/2]

Image "Noms, armes et blasons des chevaliers de la Table Ronde" MS M. 16 f. 37r

Behind door 16 is Sir Pelleus (Pelleas). In Malory's Le Morte Darthur, he is one of only 6 knights that can best Sir Gawian (even when Gawain is at his maximum strength during the sun's zenith!). Pelleus also has a romance with one of the Ladies of the Lake. [1/2]

On a page from the Winchester Manuscript below it is stated that the Damosel of the Lake "by her means" ensured that Pelleus would never have to fight against Lancelot. [2/2]

Image: [British Library Add. MS 59678 f. 70v]

Day 17: Sir Kay. Kay has come up a couple times in the previous posts, usually from the taunts and mean-spirited nicknames he gives to other knights of the Round Table.
As the foster-brother of Arthur, he witnesses Arthur's rise to king in his youth. [1/3]

The first instance of the Sword in the Stone episode features in c.1200 Prose Merlin by Robert de Boron. In this Ector (Arthur's foster-father) makes Arthur swear to keep Kay by his side as his steward, regardless of "if he is foolish or cruel or villainous". [2/3]

Below is a carving in the archivolt of Modena Cathedral thought to depict Arthurian characters in which Kay (Che) features.

Image: Modena Cathedral Archivolt [Wikimedia Commons] bit.ly/3nszPSh [3/3]

Behind door number 18 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Ector de Marys (Ector de Maris, sometimes Hector). This is a different Ector to Arthur’s foster-father and he is instead half-brother to Lancelot.

He joins the search for Lancelot after his sudden disappearance in the woods in the Lancelot-Grail cycle. Below is an illumination from a 14th c manuscript in which Ector and Percival meet a maiden that aids them in finding Lancelot.

Image: [BL Add MS 10293 f. 381v]

Behind door number 19 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Dagonet, Arthur's fool. In Malory's Le Morte Darthur he is involved a number of tricks played on characters. One example is when, dressed in full armour, he poses as Lancelot and chases King Mark of Cornwall into the woods.

Another, when the mysterious La Cote Male Taille (covered previously on day 10) arrives at Camelot seeking to prove his worth, Sir Kay arranges his first fight as a Knight of the Round Table to be against Dagonet, clearly an effort to undermine La Cote Male Taille.

This event occurs on the page below. Outside of the dedicated space for the text a later scribe practices their letterforms with an alphabet.

Image [British Library Add MS 59678 f. 189r]

Behind door number 20 of our advent calendar is Sir Degore. He features in only one existing tale (named after himself). The Cinderella-esque plot involves a search for his true family using magic gloves that only fit the maiden that is his mother.

Along the way, our hero fights off a dragon and saves an Earl who knights him as a reward.

The opening lines of this Middle English poem are below in a page from The Auchinleck Manuscript.

Image [ NLS Adv MS 19.2.1 f. 78r]

Behind door number 21 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Brumear. It's unclear who this Brumear figure is and his presence on our Round Table has perplexed scholars. The most straightforward answer is that he is Sir Breunor le Noir [1/2]

but this knight already features on the Round Table under his nickname Le Cote Mal Taile (day 10). This leaves us with two possibilities, either this knight has been duplicated during the design of the Round Table or it refers to a character that is lost to us. [2/2]

Behind door number 22 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Lybyus Dysconyus. This is another odd occurrence on our Round Table, as it refers to a nickname: "The Fair Unknown". [1/3]

The name does not refer strictly to an individual knight but has been identified as a trope in Arthurian literature in which unknown characters arrive to Camelot seeking to prove their worth through great deeds before revealing their identity to all. [2/3]

The adventures of Percival, La Cote Mal Taile, and Gareth "Beaumains" all fall under this trope.

In the 12th/13th century poem by Renaud de Beaujeu, Le Bel Inconnu, the title character refers to Guinglain, the son of Gawain.

Image: [British Library Royal 14 E III f. 89r] [3/3]

Behind door number 23 of our #adventcalendar is Sir Alynore. Another that has perplexed scholars and one of three names from the Winchester Round Table that does not appear in Malory's Le Morte Darthur. [1/3]

It has been suggested that this knight may refer to Alymere, a knight that appears in the Alliterative Morte Arthure, a 15th c Middle English poem and one of Malory's sources. His appearance is brief, appearing once in a long list of other knights present at the battle [2/3]

against Mordred. With other more prominent knights (e.g. Erec and Ywain) missing from our Round Table, the inclusion of Alymere is peculiar - perhaps this knight is of importance in some tale now lost to us? [3/3]

Image: [British Library Royal 14 E III f. 89r]

Behind door number 24 is Sir Mordred.
As our previous posts have illustrated, Arthurian literature is not a singular fixed plot, but an entire world with stories evolving over centuries. Different characters could take centre stage and many more are introduced along the way [1/5]

There is, however, always one constant: Mordred and Arthur's downfall, in whatever form it could take.*

*In the English tradition, at least. E.g. The Mabinogian, a collection of 12/13th century Middle Welsh stories, does not involve this. [2/5]

In an early depiction, the 12th c Historia Regum Brittanniae, Arthur entrusts his kingdom to his nephew while he is away on a campaign. After securing a victory, he receives news that Mordred has usurped the throne. Their fateful battle results in the death of both of them. [3/5]

Chretien de Troyes' introduction of Lancelot to the Arthurian lore shakes up the tradition. Subsequent tales involve Mordred accusing Guinevere of treason due to her relationship with Lancelot. [4/5]

An accidental slaying of one of Gawain's brothers hat sets off a chain of events leading to the same endpoint: the deaths of Arthur and Mordred at the hands of the other. [5/5]

Image: Mordred accuses Guinevere of treason. [British Library Royal 14 E III f. 152v]

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