The Mammoth Book of King Arthur

by Mike Ashley

  Galehaut. Known as the High Prince, he was Lord of the Remote Isles and Surluse or Soreloise. He is ambitious and invades Arthur’s lands, but is so overcome by Lancelot’s prowess that he submits. Thereafter he and Lancelot are devoted friends, to the extent that when he believes Lancelot is dead he refrains from eating and dies. His story is told in Chapter 16. In some texts both his name and Galahad’s are spelt Galahalt or Galeholt, showing that the names derive from the same source. So too may part of the character, since Galehaut becomes like another half of Lancelot, whose name was also originally Galahad. Bearing in mind that Galehaut had originally invaded Britain, it is possible that the basic character related to a real person, but not necessarily of Arthur’s period. A likely candidate is the Dane, Thorkell the Tall. Galehaut is also tall. Thorkell’s army invaded and decimated England in 1009, one of many Viking incursions at this time. But Thorkell did have some principles. When the Archbishop of Canterbury was murdered, Thorkell apologised and offered his army (for a fee) to Athelred to help protect England. He later became earl of East Anglia (under Canute).

  Galeron or Galleron. A Scottish knight who is deprived unjustly of his lands and who challenges Gawain. For details see discussion of The Awyntrs off Arthure in Chapter 14.

  Gareth or Gueheret. Son of Lot and Morgause and brother of Gawain, Agravaine and Gaheris. He is often confused with Gaheris in the French romances because of the similarity in names. In fact, in the French romances he and Gaheris could be interchangeable except that Gareth is perhaps more kindly and less impetuous. Gareth’s name may have been derived from Guerec which would make him the same as Erec. Malory makes him into an entirely different personality and gives him the “Fair Unknown” treatment. He comes to Arthur’s court in disguise and works for a year in the kitchens. Kay nicknames him Beaumains. At the end of the year he seeks Arthur’s boon and undertakes a quest for the scolding Lynette, an adventure told elsewhere as The Lady of the Fountain, and as part of Chrétien’s Yvain. In Malory’s version it is Gareth who kills the Brown Knight Without Pity (see Brunor). Gareth is killed with Gaheris when Lancelot rescues Guenevere.

  Gawain or Gauvain. One of the earliest of Arthur’s companions and amongst the greatest of all of his knights. He is discussed in detail in Chapter 14. It is worth adding here that Gawain and his three direct brothers run the whole spectrum of character types. Gawain is bold, brave and chivalrous (no matter how badly later story-tellers tried to blacken his name). Agravaine is the treacherous one, but with some semblance of valour. Gaheris is the bully with few, if any, scruples. Gareth, when not hiding behind the shadow of Gaheris, is the decent, quiet one who tries to do the right thing. The reason these four represent such extreme character traits is because they are all aspects of one original character, Gwri.

  Geraint or Gereint. The hero of the Welsh stories called variously Geraint son of Erbin or Geraint and Enid. That story is discussed in Chapter 18. Geraint was an historical character; in fact, there were probably two of that name, and they are discussed in Chapter 8. He is ignored by the other romances but Malory gives him a token reference as Garaunt of Cameliard in Book X.

  Gingalin, see Guinglain.

  Girflet, see Griflet.

  Gornemant of Gohort. In Erec et Enide, Chrétien calls Gornemant the fourth best knight yet, compared to the first three, Gawain, Erec and Lancelot, but we learn nothing more of him in that story. However, he reappears in Chrétien’s Grail story, where we learn that he is the uncle of Blancheflor. He becomes Perceval’s instructor in knightly techniques and codes of conduct. Unfortunately, one of his instructions, which Perceval follows to the letter, leads to all the aggravation of the Grail Quest, because he tells Perceval not to ask too many questions. As a consequence, when Perceval visits the Grail Castle he fails to ask the question that could heal the Maimed King and thereby cure the Waste Land. Gornemant desires that Perceval should stay a year and learn all the knightly arts but, because Perceval is anxious to leave, Gornemant gives him such instruction as he can and then knights him.

  The fact that Chrétien rates this knight so highly and mentions him in his first story suggests that the name must have been known and circulating in other stories. Loomis says that Chrétien did not borrow the name from Geoffrey’s History, but I suspect he did. Amongst the many people Geoffrey names as attending Arthur’s coronation, which are really lists of names drawn from the pedigrees, is Coel’s son Germanianus, but listed as Gorbonion map Goit, which could easily mutate into Gornemant de Gohort. Geoffrey had called Gorbonion earlier in his History as one of the pre-Arthurian British kings (without realizing who he really was), and had nothing but praise for him, saying, “there was no man alive who was more just than he or a greater lover of equity.” Likewise Gornemant, whom Chrétien frequently calls a “worthy gentleman”, has similar traits. In Wolfram’s Parzifal he becomes Gurnemanz of Graharz, with the added complication that he has three sons and a daughter, Liaze, whom he hopes Parzifal will marry.

  Griflet, Girflet or Gifflet. One of Arthur’s most faithful knights and amongst the most valiant, listed by Chrétien in Erec et Enide, but falling outside the top ten. Griflet’s one of those knights who’s always there but is seldom the centre of attention, though he may be the same as the hero of the Provençal story Jaufré. Malory has him gallantly saving Guenevere during the war with the rebel kings, and from that he earns his knighthood. Otherwise Malory kills him off during Lancelot’s rescue of Guenevere, but the Vulgate has Griflet, not Bedivere, as the knight who casts Excalibur back into the lake, and is the last to see Arthur alive. Griflet retires to a hermitage but soon after dies of grief. Often referred to as the “son of Do”, Griflet is also called “le Fise de Dieu”, or the son of God, suggesting he must once have been a holy man. He almost certainly equates with Cynwyl or Cynfelyn in Culhwch and Olwen, who was known as “the Saint”. He was one of Arthur’s twenty-four knights and one of the three survivors of Camlann, being the last to leave Arthur.

  Guenevere or Guinevere or Genievre or Gwenhwyfar. The wife of Arthur and lover of Lancelot. She is discussed in detail in Chapter 16 and other episodes in her life appear in Chapter 18. The Triads note that Arthur had three wives, all called Gwenhwyfar though of different parentage, none of whom is the daughter of Leodegrance, her father in the romances. The Triad is really portraying three different images of Gwenhwyfar. In Celtic beliefs the figure three was of supreme importance, representing totality, just as the Church continues to represent God in triple form as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The same tripleism was applied to Morgan (see entry below). The Vulgate did suggest the idea of a False Guenevere, purportedly a half-sister who claimed she was Arthur’s original wife but had been abducted on their wedding night. Also, rather curiously, the Welsh form of her name, Gwenhwyfar, bears some comparison with Gwyn Hyfar, or “the Irascible”, who is described in Culhwch and Olwen as the overseer of Cornwall and Devon and one of the nine who plotted the battle of Camlan. Possibly in the generations of storytelling, Guenevere took on a further, more scheming identity, a depiction which emerges strongly in some of the later romances.

  The idea has been put forward, championed mostly by Norma Lorre Goodrich, that Guinevere was a Pictish princess and, in accordance with Pictish law, it was through the female bloodline that princes inherited the right to rule. There is a belief that Mordred was also a Pict and that Guenevere lived with Mordred as his mistress and is buried in Scotland at Meigle. The Alliterative Morte Arthure even goes so far as to make Guenevere the mother of Mordred’s two sons, though tradition usually makes her sister Gwenhwyfach Mordred’s wife. The fact that Arthur and Guenevere have no children is one of the factors that contribute to the unfaithfulness of both parties. One of the few consistent legends attached to Guenevere is that of her abduction, the earliest recorded being that by Melwas (see Chapter 11). This translated into the abduction by Meleagaunt in Chrétien’s Knight of the Cart, and there are other abductions by Lancelot and Mordred. This would all support the
argument that Guenevere was desired not for her beauty but because of her bloodline. It is all the more surprising, therefore, that neither the legend nor the romances say much about her ancestry or offer much clarity about her parentage. In Welsh tradition Gwenhwyfar’s father was Ogrfan or Gogfran Gawr, and she was born at what is now Knucklas in Powys. In the Vulgate version it is Guenevere’s father (Leodegran) who received the Round Table from Uther and passed it on to Arthur as part of the wedding dowry. Since the Round Table is linked to the Grail family, this would give Guenevere an even greater status. Whether descended from Roman nobility, the Grail family or Pictish stock, Guenevere was clearly a woman of importance.

  Guinglain, Gingalin or Gligan. The son of Gawain and Dame Ragnell who is the archetypal “fair unknown” and hero of Renaud’s Le Bel Inconnu (see Chapter 14).

  Guiomar or Guingamor. He is first identified in Erec et Enide, where he is a guest at the wedding, as the Lord of the Isle of Avalon and Morgan le Fay’s lover. The Vulgate version develops this by having Guenevere being annoyed at the relationship and banishing Guiomar from the court. This turns Morgan against Guenevere, and she seeks Merlin’s help to learn witchcraft. His name is probably drawn from Gwyn ap Nudd, who features in the Celtic tales of Arthur, and is described as King of Avalon and Lord of the Fairies. His lover was Creiddylad (see Morgan for more detail).

  Gwalchmai, see Gawain.

  Gwenwynwyn. Called Arthur’s First Fighter in Culhwch and Olwen. (See Chapter 8.)

  Gwydre. Identified in Culhwch and Olwen as a son of Arthur who was killed in the Preseli Mountains during the hunt for the Boar Trwyth. This is the only reference to Gwydre. It may be a confusion with Gwydre ap Llwydeu. Gwydre was stabbed by his uncle Huail (Gildas’s brother), which resulted in a quarrel between Arthur and Huail, leading eventually to Huail’s death. It may be that Arthur had adopted Gwydre, hence the reference to a son. Also, Gwydre is buried near the peak Cwm Cerwyn in the Preseli Mountains, suggesting that this may all refer to Artúir of Dyfed.

  Gwyn Hyfar, see Guenevere.

  Handsome Coward, The, see Sanddef.

  Hector, see Ector.

  Helena, see Elaine.

  Hoel, Howel or Hywel. In Geoffrey’s History he is treated as Arthur’s nephew, the son of his sister and of Budic, King of Armorica. He assists Arthur in his battle against the Saxons and subsequently against the French at Poitou, when he also takes Gascony and Aquitaine, and later rallies the British at the Battle of Saussy. In all his battles he distinguishes himself and becomes known as Hoel the great. His niece Elen is killed by the giant of Mont-St-Michel. There is considerable confusion over who he was and I suspect that his name, which, as Hywel, is common in Welsh, was confused with the early Breton ruler Riwal, who established control of both the Breton province of Domnonée and the British province of Dumnonia some time in the early 500s. Later pedigrees tried to tie Riwal in with the ruling family of British Dumnonia but got everything out of synch. It is possible, in fact probable, that Riwal was related to that family and may have been descended from Cynan Meriadoc. Hoel is also associated with Hywel ab Emyr Llydaw, on the basis that Llydaw means Armorica and Emyr is a title for Budic. However, see Emyr Llydaw for further discussion.

  Huail or Hywel. The brother of Gildas, who was executed by Arthur following an ongoing disagreement over the death of Gwydre (Huail’s nephew, who is also referred to as Arthur’s son in some texts). Tradition has it that it was a long while before Gildas forgave Arthur, which is why Arthur is not mentioned in De Excidio. A stone commemorating Huail’s death is in the market square in Ruthin.

  Igraine, see Ygraine.

  Iseult, Iseut, Isolde, Isoud, Esyllt or Yseult. Also called La Beale Isoud. She was the wife of King Mark and the lover of Tristan. Her story is told in Chapter 13, along with that of her namesake, Tristan’s wife Iseult of the White Hands.

  Ivain, see Owain.

  Kai, see Kay.

  Karados. Another of Morgan’s allies, and a cousin of Guiomar. He commands the Dolorous Tower at the end of the Valley of No Return, which is controlled by Morgan le Fay. Anyone trying to get to the Tower has to pass along the Valley and it will only let pass those who have been faithful. Karados captures Gawain and after considerable difficulty Lancelot rescues Gawain and slays Karados. The name is a variant of Caradoc and is used in some texts for Caradog Vreichfras, but they are different characters. See also Carados.

  Kay, Cai or Cei. In the romances he is Arthur’s foster brother and the son of Antor/Ector. In Geoffrey’s History he is Arthur’s Seneschal, who performs valiantly in the campaign against Rome but is killed while rescuing Bedivere and is buried at Chinon. In the earlier Celtic tales, as Cai, he is amongst Arthur’s most courageous heroes and features in all of the adventures. Most notably in Pa Gur, we learn about his exploits in Anglesey where he kills Palug’s Cat. He has many characteristics. He can go for nine days and nights without sleep and can hold his breath under water for the same period. He generates such heat that even when it rains what is near him stays dry. His father says that he is headstrong and will not betray his feelings. He is known as Cai the Tall. The later romances change his character. He becomes bitter, surly, boastful and mocking. He seldom praises people but will always find fault. He remains courageous but seems poor in comparison to his fellow knights. Frequently it is Kay who volunteers for a quest only to fail so that another can achieve it. Kay remains loyal to Arthur and yet, in a strange change of character, we find that in Yder he tries to poison the eponymous knight, whilst in Perlesvaus he kills Arthur’s son Loholt. Kay clearly has a bad temper because in one of the episodes in Culhwch and Olwen, Arthur jests at Cai suggesting he only killed a certain giant because he was asleep. Kay flies into a temper and thereafter will not stir himself to help Arthur. Yet he is regarded as the finest horseman at Arthur’s court and even his horse Gwineu is counted amongst the “Three Lively Steeds” of Britain. In Culhwch and Olwen Cai is slain by Gwyddog, about whom we know nothing, and Gwyddog is promptly killed by Arthur.

  The Celtic tales tell us that Cai is the son of Cynyr the Bearded, Lord of Penllyn. There is a peak called Caer Gai near Lake Bala. There had been a Roman fort nearby, at Llanuwchllyn, but that had long been abandoned, so that although Cai’s name would appear to be Roman, a contraction of Caius, there is no reason to believe that he was raised in a Roman military camp as some have suggested. We are never told in the Welsh tales about Cai’s wife, though in the Welsh version of Tristram we learn he is in love with Esyllt’s handmaid Golwg. Yet he has two children, Garanwyn and Celemon, the latter of whom becomes one of the ladies at Arthur’s court. In the later romances his wife is Andrivete, daughter of Cador of Northumberland.

  Although the original Cai was almost certainly based on a historical character, we do not know who that was and no one of that name appears in the genealogies. Curiously, though, the Vulgate creates another Kay, called d’Estraus, who is made a nephew of Caradog Vreichfras, and it is just possible the writers had access to now-lost records that showed a relationship. The later Kay may have a prototype. Geoffrey, writing in the 1130s, has Kay created Duke of Anjou. The Count of Anjou at that time was Geoffrey Plantaganet, husband of the Empress Matilda. His father, Fulk V, was still alive and had become King of Jerusalem in 1131. But his father, Fulk IV, was known as Rechin, meaning “surly, ill-tempered”. This Fulk was grumpy when he only inherited half the county of Anjou but soon drove out his brother, Geoffrey the Bearded. The epithets fit those of Kay and his father perfectly and the reputation of Fulk, who had died in 1109, would have been remembered by most of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s generation.

  Lady of Shalott, see Elaine.

  Lady of the Lake. There seem to be two, possibly three, aspects of the Lady of the Lake as the stories progress, which reflect her changing role. She first appears as the foster mother and protector of Lancelot. Early on this character was switched with that of Morgan le Fay as the enchantress lover of Merlin. However, as Morgan developed in her own rig
ht (see separate entry), the Lady of the Lake took on the role of adviser and protector of Arthur and the adversary of Morgan. When named at all she is usually known as Niniane, with variants Nivienne or Viviane. The aspect who became Merlin’s lover is also sometimes called Nimuë. Malory confuses the matter by creating a third Lady of the Lake, called Lile, who comes to Arthur’s court to demand Balin’s head because he has killed her brother. Balin promptly decapitates her. Lile is called the Lady of Avalon, but she is probably meant to be the Lady de l’lsle aux Phees who, in the story of Guyron, comes to Arthur to seek retribution for the death of her brother Pellinore.

  The Vulgate tells us that the Lady of the Lake was the daughter of Dyonas and the niece of the Duke of Burgundy. Dyonas is treated as the son of Diana, the Roman goddess of the forest, but in fact he was developed from a Celtic deity, Dylan. He was a god of the sea, often pictured as a merman, and was the son of Gwydion and Arianrhod. Gwydion is discussed in Chapter 8 as the shape-changer prototype of Merlin. Niniane, therefore, developed as Merlin’s granddaughter, a far more sensible relationship than being his lover, which explains why she came to supplant him and arranged for him to return to slumber in the forest. It also explains why she becomes the protector of Arthur.

  In the Vulgate version Niniane’s father Dyonas owns the Forest of Briosque in Brittany. Part of it had come through his marriage to the Duke’s niece, and the remainder from Ban and Bors because of Dyonas’s help during their war with Claudas. This relationship with Ban meant that with the king’s death Niniane became the foster mother of Lancelot. As the “successor” to Merlin, Niniane saw her role in raising the perfect knight to achieve the Grail Quest, a plan that was thwarted by Morgan. See Chapter 17.