Sir Gareth

The Book of Sir Gareth can be found in Book VII of Morte d'Arthur, a work of the English author Sir Thomas Malory (c. 1469). This episode was one of a few episodes that genuinely can be said to have been the invention of Thomas Malory, without relying on older French and English sources. This tale can actually be read independently of the rest of Malory's work, since it has no connection to the other books of Morte d'Arthur.

However, the adventure of Gareth was one of the most typical of Arthurian stories, because it used a common theme: a mysterious youth who couldn't be identified, who became knighted, then winning a great name when he defeated great foes in his quest to save a lady, whom the hero would then marry.

In many of the Old French romances, he was identified with Guerrehet.

• Beaumains

• Damosel Savage

• Red Knight of the Red Launds

• Lady Lyonesse

Beaumains

King Arthur was holding court in Kinkenadon during the feast of Pentecost when two men and a dwarf accompanied a young man, who was as tall as he was handsome. His hands were large and powerful. The young man was clearly of noble lineage.

The young man, who refused to give his name, asked for three gifts from the king, and that he would ask for one gift now, and the last two after 12 months. The first gift that the young man requested was that he be allowed to staying in the king's court for the twelve months, receiving sufficient food and drink. The king agreed to the first gift.

Sir Kay, Arthur's boorish seneschal, upon hearing this strange petition, rebuked and insulted the young man for being nothing but a gluttonous knave. Kay named the young man, Beaumains, which means "Fair-hands", and told him that he could have food and drink in plenty, because the seneschal accommodated the young man in the poor quarters with the servants of the kitchen.

Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were upset with the seneschal's ill manner and mockery, and offered the young man finer quarter, which the young man politely refused. So for twelve months, the young man bore Sir Kay's constant mockery and scorns with good grace, until Whitsuntide. The young man also accepted Kay's new name for him.

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During the feast of Whitsuntide at Caerleon, a damsel arrived in his court with a petition. The young woman told King Arthur and his knights at the Round Table that a cruel knight known as the Red Knight of the Red Launds had taken all of her lady's land, and was besieging her lady in her castle. When the damsel refused to reveal her lady's name, Arthur told her that he had no obligation to send any knight to her aid.

Beaumains, upon hearing the damsel's message to the king, spoke out. The young man asked the king that since the 12 months has passed, that he would now reveal the last two gifts he wanted from the king. Beaumains wanted this adventure to rescue the damsel's lady as one of the gifts; and the other was that no other knight but Sir Lancelot of the Lake should knight him. The king agreed.

The young woman departed in disgust that a young and inexperienced kitchen page would come to rescue her lady. Beaumains quickly asked his two servants and dwarf to fetch his armour and horse. Beaumains was in such a hurry to follow the damsel that he lacked a shield and lance.

Sir Kay, still scorning the young man in his charge, hurried after Beaumains, hoping to teach him to respect him as his superior. Kay charged with his shield and lance ready. Beaumains met the charge, and drew and thrust his sword at Kay's side, unceremoniously unhorsing his tormentor. Kay lay on the ground, apparently unconscious. Beaumains then took the spear and shield of Sir Kay as his own.

Lancelot, who witnessed the young man defeating the arrogant seneschal, was quite impressed. Beaumains asked Lancelot to joust with him, to test his mettle and his worthiness to become a knight. So they jousted and unhorsed one another. Then they drew their swords, and exchanged blows with one another. They fought to a draw.

Before Lancelot would knight the young man, he asked for his real name. Beaumains revealed that his real name was Gareth, and that he was the youngest son of King Lot of Orkney and of Arthur's sister, Morgawse. That meant that Gareth was also the brother of Sir Gawain. Gawain did not recognise his own brother, because Gareth was still a young boy when Gawain became Arthur's knight, fifteen years prior.

Lancelot promised not to reveal Gareth's name to anyone at Arthur's court. Lancelot then knighted Gareth, who then quickly set out to assist the damsel.

The damsel, like the rude seneschal, seeing that the young man was following her, scornfully mocked Gareth, telling him that this adventure was better suited for an experienced knight, not an untried kitchen boy. The damsel ordered Beaumains to return to Arthur's kitchen. Beaumains, embarrassed by her insults, courteously refused to be dissuaded from this perilous quest. So Sir Gareth resolutely followed the damsel out of Caerleon.

Damosel Savage

Gareth travelled with the damsel, who constantly tried to shame the newly knighted hero, calling him a kitchen knave, and that she couldn't stand his smell.

They encountered two knights at the ford, and the damsel taunted him about whether he would run away. Angry about her taunts, Gareth attacked and slew the two knights. Rather than praise his prowess, she claimed that one knight had fallen off of his horse that had stumbled. We learned much later that these were rogue knights named Garrad de Breuse and Arnold de Breuse.

When they encountered another knight in black armour, known as the Knight of the Black Launds, she told him to flee. The Black Knight asked the damsel if he (Gareth) was Arthur's champion to rescue her lady, and she only replied that he was a kitchen knave. So the Black Knight demanded that Gareth should get off the horse and take off his armour that he was not worthy to wear.

Offended by the knight's scorn and embarrassed by his travelling companion, Gareth claimed that he was of noble lineage and would take the Black Knight's armour and horse from his dead body. So they jousted, and Gareth managed to pierce Black Knight's side. Despite this wound, the Black Knight fought fiercely for a whole hour, before he was overcome by his wound and fell off his horse, dead. Gareth stripped off the fallen knight's harness before following the damsel, who had departed from the combat. Again, she insulted Gareth, saying that he smelled like the kitchen, telling him to go away. Gareth told the damsel that he refused to be deterred from his quest.

Then they encountered yet another knight, but this time in green armour. We learned that the Knight of the Black Launds was named Sir Percard, and the Greek Knight was his brother. The Green Knight, who was named Sir Pertelope, hoped to avenge his brother, but he was unhorsed and then later defeated by Gareth's superior skill with the sword.

The Green Knight cried for mercy, saying that he would even forgive Beaumains for his brother's death. Gareth told him that he would only spare him if the damsel said so, but despite this honour that Beaumains bestowed to the damsel, she seemed as she couldn't care less if Sir Beaumains killed the Green Knight or not. The damsel was surprised when the defeated knight offered to swear fealty to Beaumains, offering 30 knights in his victor's service. It was only then that the damsel told Beaumains to spare Sir Pertelope.

The Green Knight offered the hospitality of his castle to the travel-worn companions. Then the offensive damsel refused to sit at the same table with Sir Beaumains. Sir Pertelope was puzzled why the damsel constantly ridiculed the brave knight. She did so because she thought he was of low birth.

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In the morning that left the castle of the Green Knight, and encounter another brother, this time it was Sir Perimones, who was known as the Red Knight. The Red Knight hoped to challenge Sir Beaumains (Gareth). The damsel told the new knight that he was nothing but a kitchen knave (again) from King Arthur's court. She encouraged the Red Knight to fight and kill Beaumains, so she could finally be rid of his company. When the Red Knight learned that he had killed one of his brothers and defeated the other, he set about to avenge them.

But like his other brother, Beaumains defeated him too. Sir Perimones also offered to swear himself and his fifty knights to Beaumains. Once again, Beaumains would only spare the Red Knight if the damsel intervened on his behalf. The damsel didn't hesitate this time to spare the Red Knight. Beaumains and the damsel stayed in Perimones' castle for the night and left the next morning.

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Once again, they travelled together until they met the fourth brother, Sir Persant of Inde, who was also known as the Blue Knight. The Blue Knight was staying at his pavilion, in a large clearing of the forest. Again, the damsel told him to flee from the knight, but he refused to leave her side, and was willing to challenge the Blue Knight. However, this time, the damsel was actually concerned for Beaumains' safety. She realised that she hadn't been fair with Beaumains' courage, and she seemed apologetic. Beaumains courteously said that he wasn't concerned about what she said to him, because her insults had helped fuel his anger when fighting his enemy, seemingly to give him more strength to prove that he wasn't a coward.

So when the two knights met, they jousted. However, the force of impact was so great that not only did they break their lances on each other's shields, but also their horses crashed into one another with such force that they fell dead. The two riders were able to leap off their horses before attacking one another with their swords. They fought for over two hours; each one was sorely wounded. Finally, Beaumains overcame his opponent when he delivered a mighty blow to the Blue Knight's helmet, that left Sir Persant stunned on the ground. Tossing his battered shield aside, Beaumains ripped off his enemy's helm and threatened to slay him. The Blue Knight pleaded for mercy, which Beaumains immediately accepted.

Sir Persant welcomed Beaumains and the damsel to his pavilion. Here we learned the names of Persant's brothers. Like his brothers, Persant swore fealty to Beaumains. He had a bed prepared for Beaumains. That night, Sir Persant sent his daughter to sleep with the young knight. As she had been commanded, she lay beside Beaumains. He learned that she was the daughter of his host and that she was a maiden. Refusing to dishonour the maiden, he sent her back to her father. Persant then knew that he was a good knight of noble birth.

In the morning, Persant asked his guests where they were going. The damsel told their host that she had brought this knight to relieve the siege of Castle Perilous that belonged to her sister. Castle Perilous had been under siege for two years. Persant knew of the Red Knight of the Red Launds, otherwise known as Sir Ironside, who had the strength of seven men. He also knew that Beaumains' guide must be Lynet (Lynette), sister of Dame Lyonesse. Lynet was otherwise known as Damosel Savage, because of her caustic remarks to poor Sir Beaumains.

His host also knew that the siege was intended to lure either Sir Lancelot or Sir Gawain to fight with the Red Knight. Beaumains revealed that his name was Gareth of Orkney to his host and guide. They departed from Persant's company and arrived at the hermitage.

Red Knight of the Red Launds

At Castle Perilous, a dwarf arrived with news that her sister (Lynet) was approaching with a knight who might save her from the Red Knight. The dwarf had only to tell everything about the young knight's adventure, except his name, though the dwarf did reveal that the knight was the son of King Lot. Dame Lyonesse sent the dwarf back with food and wine with silver cups for the knight and her sister.

While the dwarf travelled back and forth between the castle and the hermitage, he met the Red Knight of the Red Launds (Sir Ironside), and the told the knight that he would be challenged by Sir Beaumains from Sir Arthur's court. The Red Knight seemed disappointed that it wasn't Lancelot or Gawain.

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The next day, they approached the besieged castle. Beaumains saw some trees where many knights had been hanged by their necks. The Red Knight had killed every one of these knights, and hung them like common criminals. The fallen knights suffered from shameful deaths, because the Red Knight hoped that the news would spread, since the Red Knight wanted to lure Lancelot or Gawain to confront him.

As Sir Beaumains and Lynet approached the besieging army, they found a great horn under a sycamore tree. The horn was made of the great tusk of an elephant. Lynet advised the hero not to blow the horn until noon, because before noon the Red Knight had the strength of seven. However, Beaumains ignored her warning, and immediately blew the horn at once.

Lynet pointed out that not only was his enemy approaching, but her sister was watching them from the castle. Even at this distance, Gareth admired Dame Lyonesse's beauty, and wished to become her suitor. The hero and the Red Knight exchanged a few words, and then prepared themselves for mortal battle.

They charged at one another with their lances ready. They struck one another with such force that they both fell off their horses. On both sides, those of the castle and of the men besieging the castle, they saw the Red Knight unhorsed for the first time.

The two fallen knights got up from the ground, set their shields before them, and drew their swords. They traded fierce strokes with their swords until their shields were badly damaged, their armour rent, and their numerous wounds bleeding. They had fought for hours, until both needed to rest. While Beaumains had his helmet off for a moment, he took the chance to see Dame Lyonesse on the battlement. The hero then seemed to be refreshed.

So they came upon one another, to do battle. The Red Knight dropped his sword when he struck Beaumains' helmet. However, the blow was supposed to make him fall to the ground, stunned. The Red Knight jumped upon Beaumains hoping to hold the hero down, while retrieving his sword. Lynet cried out, and her words gave him new strength. He managed to free himself, retrieve his sword, and knock the Red Knight senselessly on the helm. Beaumains ripped off the Red Knight's helm, and raised his sword to strike off his enemy's head.

The Red Knight yielded and asked for mercy, which Beaumains refused to give, because the Red Knight had given other knights cruel and shameless deaths. The Red Knight told the hero that he was under an oath by a woman he had loved to lure Lancelot to fight him, because Lancelot had killed her brother. So the woman gave the Red Knight the strength of seven men, before noon.

Beaumains would only spare the Red Knight, whom he now knew as Sir Ironside, if he restored all the stolen land to Dame Lyonesse, and begged Lancelot's mercy at Arthur's court. Sir Ironside agreed to all of Beaumains' conditions. While Beaumains returned to the hermitage to recover, Sir Ironside went to Castle Perilous and restored all the land to Dame Lyonesse before departing for Arthur's court, seeking out Lancelot.

Lady Lyonesse

Once Sir Beaumains (Gareth) regained his strength at the hermitage. Beaumains set out for Castle Perilous. However, the drawbridge was raised and he was refused entry by none other than Dame Lyonesse.

Dame Lyonesse told the surprised hero that he must seek adventures and glory for 12 months before she would allow him to enter her castle. Beaumains was distressed by her words, since he had thought that he had already won her hands in marriage. So he sadly departed in the company of his dwarf.

The Dame Lyonesse told her sister Lynet (Lynette) and her brother Gringamore that she wanted to find out the real identity of her rescuer. So she sent her brother to abduct Beaumains' dwarf, and bring him to another castle where they could interrogate the dwarf and discover Beaumains' true name and kinship.

Gringamore found Beaumains sleeping near the water. Gringamore abducted and rode off with the dwarf, towards his castle at the Isle of Avilion. Beaumains woke at his dwarf's cry, and hurried to pursue the fleeing knight.

The dwarf revealed the truth that Beaumains' real name was Gareth the son of King Lot and Morgawse. Lyonesse was satisfied that Gareth was of royal lineage.

Gareth arrived at the castle, demanding that the dwarf to be returned to him. Lady Lyonesse asked her brother to release the dwarf and invite Gareth into the castle.

Then the Lady Lyonesse joined their guest; they instantly fell in love with one another. However, Sir Gareth didn't recognise that she was the Lady of Castle Perilous. When it was clear that they were in love and that they knew truth of Gareth's identity, they declared that the young hero was worthy of his sister's love. They also revealed Dame Lyonesse's true identity, when Lynet appeared. Gareth and Lyonesse became troth plight (betrothed).

Rather than sleep in one of the chambers, Gareth, as advised by Lady Lyonesse, decided to sleep in the hall. However, Lynet was aware that her sister would visit the hero in the night, rather than wait for their marriage, so Lynet sent a knight who attacked Gareth while the young couple were kissing and embracing one another. The knight wounded Gareth in the thigh, but the hero severed his attacker's head. Then Gareth lost conscious due to loss of blood and a deep wound.

Gringamore rushed into the hall when he heard Lyonesse's cry. Gringamore felt shame that his guest was attacked under his roof. As the brother and sister attended Gareth's wound, Lynet arrived.

Lynet took the head, anointed the neck with ointment, and then joined the head to the body. Immediately the dead knight rose and went into her chamber.

The next night, when Lyonesse again visited her betrothed while everyone slept, the knight whom the hero had killed, once again attacked Gareth. In the furious fighting, Gareth killed this same knight. This time he wasn't satisfied with just beheading the knight, Gareth cut the head into a hundred pieces, before throwing them out the window into the moat.

Gareth fainted again, because his old wound had broken open and bled some more during the fighting. Lyonesse and Gringamore were distressed that their guest had been attacked once again in their own home. Though, the wound had stopped bleeding, it wouldn't heal properly.

Lynet returned with all the pieces of the head, and with her ointment, restored the dead knight again. Gareth was upset with Lynet, but she told the hero that she was doing it for his and her sister's own good. She wanted her sister to remain a virgin, until Lyonesse was married to Gareth.

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In Arthur's court at Caerleon, the three brother-knights arrived and yielded to Arthur, as Sir Beaumains (Gareth) had commanded. They told the king how the young hero had overcome each of them. They now served Beaumains as vassals.

A few days later, Sir Ironside (the Red Knight of the Red Launds) arrived and surrendered himself to Sir Lancelot, as Beaumains had commanded him to do. Everyone was impressed that Beaumains had overcome Sir Ironside. Ironside then asked for Lancelot and Gawain's forgiveness, which they readily gave. Arthur then pardoned Ironside for his crime.

On the feast of Pentecost, Morgawse, the Queen of Orkney and sister of Arthur, arrived at the court, demanding the whereabouts of her son Gareth. When she heard the report that her son had been made a kitchen knave for 12 months, she demanded an explanation for the ill treatment of her son from her brother and her other sons. It was only then, that Sir Beaumains was revealed to really be Gareth. Arthur and his nephew Gawain admitted to the angry queen that they didn't recognise him, nor did Gareth give them his name. They informed her how Lancelot had knighted her son and how Gareth had set out to rescue Lady Lyonesse.

Arthur promised to find Gareth for his sister, but her son Gawain advised his uncle to send for Lady Lyonesse.

When message arrived requesting the presence of Lady Lyonesse before King Arthur. Gareth preferred that his exact location remained unknown to those at Arthur's court. So Lady Lyonesse came to Arthur, inviting them to turn up at a tournament that she had arranged on the day of the Virgin's Assumption. She reassured them that they would most likely have news of Gareth at the event.

Then she returned home. Gareth was pleased with Lady Lyonesse's news, but was worried that his wound would not permit him to take part in the tournament. Lynet comforted Gareth, and she applied her ointment to heal Gareth, which seemed to miraculously make him whole.

Lynet advised Gareth to call on all the knights that had become his vassals to join him in the tournament, while Arthur brought his own knights to Castle Perilous.

Just before the tournament, Gareth wanted to enter the tournament incognito, so Gringamore provided Gareth with a new set of armour and a horse. Lyonesse provided Gareth with a magic ring. The ring had several wondrous properties: to enhance a woman's beauty, to magically change the colour of the wearer's armour, and to prevent loss of blood in combat.

In the tournament, Gareth defeated many famous knights in the jousts, including his own brother Gawain. Each time, he unhorsed one knight, his armour and weapon would change colour. When Gareth took off Lyonesse's ring for a moment, someone recognised him. Gareth took off into the woods, hoping that no one would follow him.

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Gareth came to the castle of the Duke de la Rowse, where he was welcomed by the Duke's wife, since the duke was absent. However, she warned him that her husband didn't like any member of Arthur's Round Table.

As Gareth rode towards the mountain, he encountered a knight named Sir Bendelaine. Bendelaine refused to let anyone through the pass, unless a travelling knight jousted with him. So Gareth ran his lance through Bendelaine. Mortally wounded, the knight fled to his castle, where he died. Seeing that lord had been slain, twenty armed men attacked Gareth.

When they could not overcome the young hero, they killed his horse. Yet, they were still no match for Gareth, even when the hero was on foot. Gareth began killing them one by one, until only four of them remained. They fled. Gareth took one of the horses from his attackers and departed.

Gareth rode and arrived at another castle, where he heard 30 ladies and gentlewomen mourning. Gareth discovered that the women were widows, because the lord of the castle was the Brown Knight without Pity who had killed their husbands. Gareth challenged and killed the Brown Knight, by running his lance through his enemy.

In the morning, Gareth sent the ladies to Arthur's court, before he departed in the other direction. The hero arrived at the mountain where Duke de la Rowse was staying, whose castle he had stayed in the previous night, and challenged him in combat. Gareth unhorsed the Duke, then defeated him with his sword. Gareth spared him and likewise sent him to Arthur.

As the Duke departed, another knight arrived. Without a word from either side, they jousted. The knight wounded Gareth in his side with his lance. They continued their fight with their swords for two hours.

The fight ended when Lynet arrived. She shouted to the other knight, who was Gawain, to stop fighting his brother Gareth. Upon hearing his brother's name, Gawain threw his sword and shield aside and kneeled to his younger brother, yielding. Gareth, realising that he had fought his brother, threw aside his arms, and yielded.

The brothers wept as they embraced. Lynet attended to the wounds of both knights. Gawain had Lynet bring the king to them, since their horses were presently too weak to be ridden. Morgawse and the entire the court came along with the king.

Arthur made arrangements for marriage between his nephew Gareth and Lyonesse. They were married on the feast of Michelmas, at Castle Perilous. The knights whom Gareth had defeated, including Sir Ironside, the three brother knights and Duke de la Rowse, had not only become Gareth's vassals, but were also given places at the Round Table.

Gareth's two older brothers were married on the same day: Gaheris to the Lady Lynet, and Agravain to Lyonesse's niece.

Friendship developed between Lancelot and Gareth, because Gareth admired the great hero so much. Unfortunately, a day would come when one would deal an accidental death to the other, which would be one of a series of events which would split the Round Table apart.

So ended the tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney.