Knights of The Round Table

grail Avalon is all part of the myths and fables of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But who were the knights and what was the Round Table that feature so prominently in Avalon 2?

The Round Table was the central meeting point and the highest Order of Chivalry at the Court of King Arthur. The knights were made up of the highest echelons of society at the time, the highest ranking fighting force who were subject to a strict code of honour and service.

Sir Thomas Malory details the code as follows:

To never do outrage nor murder
Always to flee treason
To by no means be cruel but to give mercy unto him who asks for mercy
To always do ladies, gentlewomen and widows succor
To never force ladies, gentlewomen or widows
Not to take up battles in wrongful quarrels for love or worldly goods

Giovanni Boccaccio expanded on the code, which he said called on its members:

To never lay down arms
To seek after wonders
When called upon, to defend the rights of the weak with all one's strength
To injure no one
Not to attack one another
To fight for one's country
To die for one's country
To seek honour before all else
To keep the faith
To live a deeply religious life
To be hospitable to strangers

According to myth, there were 25 Knights of the Round Table as follows: (this doesn't include Brave, Brave Sir Robin who was a Monty Python invention).

King Arthur

Sir Galahad
Sir Lancelot du Lac
Sir Gawain
Sir Percivale
Sir Lionell
Sir Tristram de Lyones
Sir Gareth (Goodhands)
Sir Bedivere
Sir Bleoberis
Sir Lacotemale
Sir Lucan
Sir Palomedes
Sir Lamorak
Sir Bors de Ganis
Sir Safer
Sir Pelleas
Sir Kay
Sir Ector de Maris
Sir Dagonet
Sir Degore
Sir Brunor le Noir
Sir Lybyus Dysconyus
Sir Alymere
Sir Mordred

Sir Lancelot
Of these, the most famous is probably Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot of the Lake was one of Arthur's most trusted knights, but he fell for the beautiful Queen Guinevere. He was brought up by the Lady of the Lake, hence his title. Sir Lancelot was the only knight who defeated King Arthur in a joust. He was a Red Cross Knight, with a quest to find the Holy Grail.

Sir Galahad
Galahad was the illegitimate son of Launcelot and Elaine of Corbenic. Galahad was famously taken to a river by Arthur where a sword lay in a stone with an inscription that read “Never shall man take me hence but only he by whose side I ought to hang; and he shall be the best knight of the world.”

Galahad pulls the sword out with ease and King Arthur labels him to be the greatest knight ever. Sir Galahad becomes a Knight of the Round Table, and joins the quest for the Holy Grail.