Sir Bleoberis

Also known as: Bleoberis / Bleoberis de Ganis / Sir Bleoberis de Ganis / this Bleoberis · Family: Arthur's side · Role: knight · First appears: Book I, Chapter XV

Sir Bleoberis was a knight on King Arthur’s side. In Book I, he was King Bors’s godson and bore his chief standard. By Book VII, he was among the knights defeated by Sir Gareth, who struck him from his horse, and he later faced Sir Palamides and the Red Knight of the Red Launds in battle.

In Book VIII, Bleoberis came to King Mark’s court and received whatever boon he asked. He chose Sir Segwarides’ wife, defeated and sorely wounded her husband when he tried to rescue her, and later delivered her to him at the abbey. He fought Sir Tristram until both knights and horses fell, then revealed that he was Sir Blamore’s brother and Sir Launcelot’s sister’s child: “Wit ye well that my name is Sir Bleoberis de Ganis, and my brother hight Sir Blamore de Ganis, that is called a good knight, and we be sister’s children unto my lord Sir Launcelot du Lake”. After the lady chose Bleoberis, he and Sir Tristram agreed never to fight each other again, and Bleoberis and Sir Blamore were accorded with King Anguish.

Through Books IX and X, Bleoberis continued to joust and fight among Sir Tristram, Sir Palomides, La Cote Male Taile, Sir Launcelot, Sir Ector, Sir Percivale, and Sir Harry le Fise Lake, at different times being unhorsed and unhorsing others. He rode with Sir Bors, Sir Ector, Sir Blamore, Sir Driant, and other knights in the search for Sir Tristram, fought beside Sir Gaheris and Sir Ector, and helped bring La Beale Isoud to Joyous Gard. He denounced Breuse Saunce Pité as a traitor, became deadly enemy to Sir Palomides, and later fought beside Sir Palomides, Sir Safere, Sir Blamore, and Sir Bellangere le Beuse.

In Book XVIII, Bleoberis fought with Sir Galihodin and Sir Pelleas among King Ban’s blood, though he also joined those who opposed Sir Launcelot. In Book XX, Sir Launcelot made him Duke of Poictiers, and Bleoberis joined the knights who promised to do Sir Launcelot’s will. After Sir Launcelot’s death, Bleoberis and Sir Blamore took the same religious habit and remained in penance; later, with Sir Bors and Sir Ector, he went to the Holy Land, where the four died fighting the Turks on a Good Friday.