Who were the Knights of the Round Table? There were actually hundreds of Knights associated with the Round Table and King Arthur, but here we’ll take a look at the most often mentioned, well-known, or most associated with King Arthur and Arthurian Legend.

The individual Knights, mostly who were not based on historical figures, were pulled together from Scottish, French, Welsh, and English legends and lore. Some of them Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote about as early as 1136 AD in his History of the Kings of Britain, while others were popularized by Sir Thomas Mallory or even as late as Alfred, Lord Tennyson in the early 1800’s.

King Arthur, also called Arthur or Arthur Pendragon, legendary British king who appears in a cycle of medieval romances (known as the Matter of Britain) as the sovereign of a knightly fellowship of the Round Table. It is not certain how these legends originated or whether the figure of Arthur was based on a historical person. The legend possibly originated either in Wales or in those parts of northern Britain inhabited by Brythonic-speaking Celts. (For a fuller treatment of the stories about King Arthur, see also Arthurian legend.)  King Arthur King Arthur King Arthur, detail from the Nine Heroes Tapestries, c. 1400; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, Munsey Fund, 1932, gift of John D. Rockefeller Jr., 1947, (32.130.3a; 47.101.4), www.metmuseum.org Assumptions that a historical Arthur led Welsh resistance to the West Saxon advance from the middle Thames are based on a conflation of two early writers, the religious polemicist Gildas and the historian Nennius, and on the Annales Cambriae of the late 10th century. The 9th-century Historia Brittonum, traditionally attributed to Nennius, records 12 battles fought by Arthur against the Saxons, culminating in a victory at Mons Badonicus. The Arthurian section of this work, however, is from an undetermined source, possibly a poetic text. The Annales Cambriae also mention Arthur’s victory at Mons Badonicus (516) and record the Battle of Camlann (537), “in which Arthur and Medraut fell.” Gildas’s De excidio et conquestu Britanniae (mid-6th century) implies that Mons Badonicus was fought in about 500 but does not connect it with Arthur.   King Arthur King Arthur King Arthur, illustration by N.C. Wyeth for the title page of The Boy's King Arthur (1917). Illustration by N.C. Wyeth Early Welsh literature quickly made Arthur into a king of wonders and marvels. The 12th-century prose romance Culhwch and Olwen associated him with other heroes, and this conception of a heroic band with Arthur at its head doubtless led to the idea of Arthur’s court.  The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.

Often overlooked because of his role as King, husband and epic legend, is the knight Arthur himself: the ruler of the land and yet the head of the Round Table. The first knight among equals.  The name Arthur is almost certainly a derivative of the name Artorius, a Roman gens name, but according to J. D. Bruce, it possibly came from the name “Artos Viros” (bear man), which is from Celtic origin. Bruce also suggest the possibility of a connection with Irish art (stone).  King Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon and according to many legends defeated the barbarians in dozens of battles. Subsequently, he conquered a wide empire and eventually went to war with the Romans. He returned home on learning that his nephew Mordred had raised the standard of rebellion and taken Guinevere, the Queen. After landing, his final battle took place.

Sir Lancelot du Lac or Sir Launcelot was the son of King Ban of Benwick and Queen Elaine. Lancelot was the First Knight of the Round Table, and he never failed in gentleness, courtesy, or courage. In addition to his courage and prowess on the battlefield, Lancelot was also a knight who was consistently serving others, thus giving him a good name and favor among most circles.  It has been said that Lancelot was the greatest fighter and swordsman of all the Knights of the Round Table, and yet he was also extremely intelligent and known for his charm and humor. Legend tells us that as a child, Lancelot was left by the shore of The Lake, where he was found by Vivien, the Lady of the Lake. Caring for him as her own, Vivien fostered and raised Lancelot, raising one of history’s greatest knights.

Sir Gawain was generally said to be the nephew of King Arthur. Gawain’s parents were King Lot of Orkney and Morgause (though his mother is said to be Anna in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain). Upon the death of King Lot, Gawain became the head of the Orkney clan, which includes in many sources his brothers Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and his half-brother Mordred.  Though Lancelot is often referred to as the greatest knight, Gawain is also referred to as the greatest knight of the Round Table on occasion and is most recognized from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It seemed to be common knowledge that Sir Gawain was also the most trusted friend of Sir Lancelot and in some legends he seems to be the rightful heir to the throne of Camelot once King Arthur passes.Sir Gawain was generally said to be the nephew of King Arthur. Gawain’s parents were King Lot of Orkney and Morgause (though his mother is said to be Anna in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain). Upon the death of King Lot, Gawain became the head of the Orkney clan, which includes in many sources his brothers Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and his half-brother Mordred.  Though Lancelot is often referred to as the greatest knight, Gawain is also referred to as the greatest knight of the Round Table on occasion and is most recognized from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It seemed to be common knowledge that Sir Gawain was also the most trusted friend of Sir Lancelot and in some legends he seems to be the rightful heir to the throne of Camelot once King Arthur passes.

Sir Galahad was the son of Sir Lancelot and Elaine. His name may be of Welsh origin or come from the place name of Gilead in Palestine. Born out of wedlock, he was placed in a nunnery as a child being that the abbess there was his great aunt.  On one occasion a “sword in a stone” was seen in a river by King Arthur’s knights and legend stated that only the world’s best knight could pull out the sword. Galahad was led into King Arthur’s court where he sat in the Siege Perilous (the vacant seat at the Round Table reserved for the Knight who would one day be successful at recovering the Holy Grail). Following his seat at the Round Table, Galahad then drew the sword from the stone. Years later while at Arthur’s Court, the Holy Grail appeared in a vision to Galahad and showed him that he was one of the three knights chosen to undertake the Quest for the Holy Grail. He was given a white shield, made by Evelake with a red cross which Joseph of Arimathea had drawn in blood. In the course of his Quest he joined up with Sir Percivale, Sir Bors de Ganis, and Percivale’s sister. Once on board Solomon’s ship, Sir Galahad obtained the Sword of David, and after the death of Percivale’s sister the trio split up for a while and Galahad traveled with his father, Sir Lancelot.

Sir Geraint, who was the eldest son of King Erbin of Dumnonia was a Knight of Devonshire. After the death of his his wife, Prince Geraint spent much of his time at King Arthur’s Court looking for action and adventure. It was during this period that he encountered the Sparrow Hawk Knight and ultimately came to marry Lady Enid of Caer-Teim (Cardiff), a story told in the ancient tales of Erec (alias Geraint) & Enid and “Geraint mab Erbin”.  Sir Geraint restored Sir Yniol all of his possessions and then married his beautiful daughter, Lady Enid. At one point, Geraint heard Enid complaining that he was a lazy knight. He was so embarrassed that he accused Enid of cheating on him. To ease his conscience, Geraint took Enid on a journey through a series of trials until she convinced him of her faithfulness to him. Enid remained so devoted to Sir Geraint that ultimately they returned home and lived in happiness for the remainder of their lives.

Sir Gareth was the youngest son of King Lot and Morgause of Orkney, which made him the youngest brother of Sir Gawain as well. Playing a significant role in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, Gareth plays one of the most important roles of defending King Arthur and ultimately his death at the hand’s of Lancelot. The “Tale of Sir Gareth” was apparently created by Thomas Malory, and presents Sir Gareth as a prime example of chivalry. Gareth served as page to and is ultimately knighted by and devoted to Sir Lancelot, which makes his passing even more tragic.  In addition to his loyalty and bravery, Gareth was one of the most chivalrous knights. His continued chivalrous and respectful attitude toward and treatment of Lady Lynette, even after her abuse of him shows the true gentleman that he was.

The brother of Agravaine, Gawain, and Gareth, Sir Gaheris was the son of King Lot of Orkney and his wife Morgause, sister of King Arthur. Before being knighted he was squire to his elder brother Gawain. Sir Gaheris married Lady Lynette on the same day his youngest brother Gareth married her sister, Dame Lionesse of the Castle Perilous.  Both Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth were killed in the fight that broke out when Sir Lancelot rescued Queen Guinevere from burning at the stake, though both were killed by accident as Sir Lancelot did not recognize either of them in the crowd of knights and people. Because of the deaths of Sir Gaheris and Gareth, their elder brother Sir Gawain was deeply bitter at Lancelot for the rest of his life.

A truly deep and fervent supporter of King Arthur from the very start, Sir Bedivere never wained from that support. Bedivere was also one of the first knights to join the fellowship of the Round Table, and was by King Arthur’s side at his death/transport to the Isle of Avalon. Sir Bedivere also helped King Arthur fight the Giant of Mont St. Michel and later was made Duke of Neustria.  Sir Bedivere lost one of his hands in battle and spent the rest of his life fighting with only one hand. He had a son called Amren and a daughter named Eneuavc.

Sir Ector was a nobleman and knight who was entrusted with Arthur as a young child by Merlin the Magician. Arthur grew up knowing Sir Ector as his father, and Ector remained clueless as to the true identity of the young Arthur. Sir Kay was also the son of Ector, and Kay and Arthur grew up together as brothers. Sir Ector always treated Arthur as his son, and raised him in a respectable manner up until Arthur pulled the sword from the stone and then took his rightful place as King of Britain.  Not to be confused with the half-brother of Sir Lancelot, Sir Ector was also known as a Lord, tradesman, and even a King in some legends and stories.

Sir Kay was the son of Sir Ector (Ectorious) and the foster brother of King Arthur. History records Kay (Cai in Welsh) as being a very tall man and a fierce warrior, as shown by his epithet, the Tall. He appears in the Mabinogion tale of “Culhwch and Olwen” as the foremost warrior at the Court of the King Arthur. According to other legends, Sir Kay had mystical powers and was called one of the “Three Enchanter Knights of Britain”.  Later on this was written about Sir Kay:  “Nine nights and nine days his breath lasted under water, nine nights and nine days would he be without sleep. A wound from Cai’s sword no physician might heal. When it pleased him, he would be as tall as the tallest tree in the forest. When the rain was heaviest, whatever he held in his hand would be dry for a handbreadth before and behind, because of the greatness of his heat, and, when his companions were coldest, he would be as fuel for them to light a fire”.

Sir Bors de Ganis was the only knight of the three Grail knights (Bors, Percivale, and Galahad) to survive the Quest for the Holy Grail and return to King Arthur’s court. His fathers name was Bors as well, and he later succeeded his father as King of Gannes/Ganis.  Sir Bors was a chaste knight and had sworn a vow of purity while remaining single, but the daughter of King Brandegoris fell in love with him. While using the aid of a magic ring, she forced Sir Bors into loving her thus breaking his vow. As a result of this union, Bors became the father of Elyan the White, later Emperor of Constantinople.

The son of King Pellinore, a great knight in his own right, Sir Lamorak was the brother of Percivale according to some legends. Lamorak was one of the strongest, fiercest, and most brutal Knights of the Round Table. The lover of Morgause, Sir Lamorak’s father Pellinore had killed Morgause’s husband King Lot of Orkney in a dual.  Sir Lamorak was one of three knights most noted for their deeds of prowess, and at an early age he received a degree for jousting, at which he excelled. On several different occasions, Lamorak fought over thirty knights by himself, killing or besting them all.

Sir Tristan, or Tristram in Old English, was a contemporary of King Arthur and a Knight of the Round Table. He was the nephew and champion of King Mark of Cornwall and the son of Meliodas, King of Lyoness. Tristan’s mother died when he was born, and as a young man he went to live with his uncle, Mark in Cornwall, becoming his uncle’s champion.  Sir Tristan became the champion of his uncle upon defeating and killing Marhaus of Ireland in a duel. That defeat led to a truce with King Anguish of Ireland who arranged for his daughter, Iseult to be married to King Mark. Sir Tristan who was sent to Ireland to fetch the would be Queen, but while in the process of bringing her back to Cornwall, Tristan and Iseult fell hopelessly in love with one another. Upon realizing there was no hope for them to stay together and live a normal life, they fled from King Mark and lived the rest of their days on the run.

Sir Percival was raised by his mother in ignorance of arms and courtesy. Yet because of his upbringing, Percival was one of the most gracious and innocent of the Knights of the Round Table. Percival’s natural prowess, ultimately led him to King Arthur’s court where he immediately set off in pursuit of a knight who had offended Queen Guinevere.  Percival was the Grail knight or one of the Grail knights in numerous medieval and modern stories of the Grail quest. Sir Percival first appears in Chrétien de Troyes’s unfinished Percivale or Conte del Graal (c.1190). The incomplete story prompted a series of “continuations,” in the third of which (c. 1230), by an author named Manessier, Percival achieves the Grail. (An analogue to Chrétien’s tale is found in the thirteenth-century Welsh romance Peredur.)

Touted as being one of the most handsome knights of the Round Table, Sir Agravain was also a skilled fighter and strategist. Legend has it, that in the earliest of texts Agravain may have had a not so perfect reputation, but in later manuscripts he’s referred to as noble and chivalrous. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Agravaine is mentioned as Agravain of the Hard Hand, and later on in Chrétien de Troyes’ Perceval, he is mentioned in a list of “respectable knights”.  According to most legends, Sir Agravain is the second oldest son of King Lot of Orkney and his wife Morgause, the sister of King Arthur. Along with being a nephew of the King, he was the brother of Sir Gawain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and a half-brother of Mordred.