Sir Lavaine

Also known as: Lavaine · Family: Astolat · Role: knight · First appears: Book XVIII, Chapter IX

At Astolat in Book XVIII, Sir Bernard presents Sir Lavaine as his youngest son, with Sir Tirre as his elder brother, and sends him to ride with Sir Launcelot to the jousts: “And my youngest son hight Lavaine, and if it please you, he shall ride with you unto that jousts”. In the fighting that follows, Sir Lavaine serves Sir Launcelot as a companion and pupil, striking down Sir Lucan le Butler, Sir Bedevere, Ozanna le Cure Hardy, Sir Blamore, and Sir Bellangere le Beuse. When Sir Launcelot is wounded, Sir Lavaine forces a horse upon him, draws the broken truncheon from his side, and takes him toward Sir Baudwin; he later brings Sir Bors to Sir Launcelot, while Elaine searches for both her brother and the injured knight.

Through the winter, Sir Lavaine gains renown in jousts and tourneys and accompanies Sir Launcelot to Sir Brasias’s hermitage. Disguised for another joust, he fights alongside Sir Launcelot and Sir Gareth, meeting Sir Palomides and King Arthur in combat and striking down twenty knights; after the disguises are removed, King Arthur recognizes him and names him among the knights to be honored. In Book XIX, Sir Lavaine asks King Arthur to let him fight for Sir Launcelot and Queen Guenever, then is made a knight of the Table Round with Sir Urre; he marries Dame Felelolie, Sir Urre’s sister, receives a barony from King Arthur, and continues to attend Sir Launcelot.

By Book XX, Sir Lavaine stands with Sir Ector, Sir Lionel, Sir Palomides, and other knights in support of Sir Launcelot. At Joyous Gard, he pledges to follow him abroad, and Sir Launcelot later makes him Earl of Arminak.