Sir Dinas

Also known as: Dinas / Dinas the Seneschal / Dinas, the Seneschal / Sir Dinas le Seneschal / Sir Dinas the Seneschal / the Seneschal · Family: castle · Role: seneschal · First appears: Book VII, Chapter XXVI

At Castle Perilous in Book VII, Sir Dinas the Seneschal accompanied Dame Lionesse and Sir Ironside with Sir Tristram and Sir Sadok. He later contended with Uwaine les Avoutres, who smote him down, but remained among the castle’s knights with Sir Tristram and Sir Sadok. In Book VIII, Dinas counselled King Mark to reconcile with Sir Tristram, warning that many would support Tristram if he were in need. When Sir Kay and Sir Gaheris sought him in Book IX, they did so because they had heard that he “loved well Sir Tristram”; Dinas gave them rest, and he refused to assent when King Mark sought Tristram’s death, accepting instead Tristram’s banishment for ten years. He was later overthrown by Sir Uwaine in a joust.

In Book X, Dinas sheltered Sir Tristram at his castle in Cornwall and led one part of King Mark’s host alongside Sir Andred and Sir Argius. He and Mark retreated to Tintagil after heavy losses, and Dinas and his fellowship were put to the worse. After Sir Sadok told him of Mark’s treason at Arbray, Dinas “defied such a king” and renounced the lands he held from him; with Sadok, he strengthened the towns and castles of Liones and assembled its people. At La Beale Isoud’s request, Dinas and Sadok imprisoned King Mark, though Mark had earlier sent Dinas orders to disperse the people he had raised.

Sir Edward of Carnarvon and Sir Priamus were Dinas’s brothers. In Book XX, Dinas joined the knights who pledged obedience to Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot later made him Duke of Anjou.