For today’s post, I have decided to do a countdown of my favorite Knights of the Roundtable. This post will act as a companion piece to yesterday’s countdown of Arthurian women!
Number 5: Percival
~The original Grail Knight began his tale as an ignorant young man raised with no knowledge of the royal courts or knighthood. His story comes full circle with him learning along the way about his own family history and connection to the Grail. He learned the injured Grail King was his grandfather and he was his successor!
Number 4: Accolon
~Morgan’s most famous lover who competed in a duel against Arthur ended up dying when Morgana’s treachery was discovered. She had given Accolon the real Excalibur, while Arthur used a fake she had created. When Arthur realized he got his sword back from Accolon and slew him!
Number 3: Tristan
~The lover of Isolde and the bravest Knight of King Mark of Cornwall is an interesting figure. His love story with Isolde, as well as the love triangle it created actually predated Lancelot and Guinevere’s.
Number 2: Gawain
~Gawain is the nephew of King Arthur and he is associated with being a Knight of the Goddess. During his famous trial of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, he earned his place as a true Knight of the Roundtable by completing Morgana’s challenge! He completed another challenge when he married Dame Ragnell, who was a cursed woman first appearing as a loathly lady and later showing herself to be a beautiful Faery bride!
Number 1: Lancelot du Lac
~Of course Lancelot would rank as my number one! His story is so romantic and tragic. Similarly to Gawain, he has Goddess connections through his being raised by the Lady of the Lake, earning his surname du Lac! I really love his forbidden love of Guinevere, as well as him being a man that numerous women just cannot resist. His betrayal of Arthur by loving Guinevere brings a bad boy edge to his perfect knight persona! This edge is amplified when he goes literally mad with guilt over his lust and leaves to the woods (or Morgan’s castle depending on the version).
~I hope that you have enjoyed this countdown. Did I list your favorite Knight of the Roundtable? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
White Rose of Avalon 