Peredur

Also known as: Peredur of the long lance / Peredur son of Evrawc / Peredur the son of Evrawc · Family: Arthur's Court · Role: seventh and youngest son of Earl Evrawc · First appears: PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC 1

Peredur is the seventh and youngest son of Earl Evrawc and a member of Arthur’s Court. To protect him from war, his mother takes him into the wilderness, but he later leaves her refuge to seek Arthur’s Court. He meets Owain son of Urien, who explains the use of men’s arms, horses, and accoutrements, and his encounters with Lord of the Glade become hostile. Peredur tells Arthur that he will not come to Court until he has faced the tall man who injured the dwarf and dwarfess, while also declaring that wherever he is, he will remain Arthur’s vassal.

In the following chapters, Peredur defends a besieged maiden, restores her possessions and earldom, secures her rule, and forces the knight who mistreated her to declare her innocent. He defeats a sorceress, spends three weeks with the sorceresses, and defeats Kai, breaking his arm and shoulder blade. At Caerlleon, Arthur welcomes him and offers him a permanent place: “With me thou shalt remain; and had I known thy valour had been such, thou shouldst not have left me as thou didst.” Peredur then holds fellowship with Gwalchmai, Owain son of Urien, and the household, courts Angharad Law Eurawc, defeats the chained lion, giants, and serpent at Round Valley, and overthrows one challenging knight each day for a week at Arthur’s Court.

Peredur defeats and later kills Black Oppressor, ending his oppression, refuses the offered treasure, and declines to choose among the maidens. He witnesses dead youths restored to life, pledges to love a mysterious maiden above all women, and receives a seeing stone. He becomes Etlym Gleddyv Coch’s attendant and companion, later joins Gwalchmai in seeking aid against the sorceresses, and is eventually seized and imprisoned when the King suspects him of marrying his daughter. He is also listed among those who set forth with Geraint the son of Erbin.