King Hermance
Also known as: Hermance · Family: Red City · Role: king of the Red City · First appears: Book X, Chapter LXI
King Hermance was king of the Red City. In Book X, Chapter LXI, he had raised two knights, Helius and Helake, and trusted them deeply. While he drank at a well, Helius fatally speared him, and they left him there. Sir Ebel, bound to him by fealty, found him wounded, carried him alive to the water’s edge, and placed him in a ship.
Before he died, King Hermance commanded Sir Ebel to write a letter and put it in his hand. The letter told how he had been slain “by felony and treason, through two knights of mine own, and of mine own bringing up and of mine own making,” and offered his lands and rents to whoever avenged him. Sir Ebel appealed to King Arthur and his knights, and Sir Palomides undertook the revenge.
In Book X, Chapter LXIII, Sir Hermind identified himself as King Hermance’s brother, while Helius and Helake admitted, “we are the same knights that slew King Hermance.” At the Red City, Sir Palomides confronted them as the king’s avenger.
Relationship record
Life events
- Helius fatally spears King Hermance while he drinks at a well.(Book X, Chapter LXI · 📍 a well)
- With: Helius
- “that one that hight Helius he suddenly smote our king through the body with a spear, and so they left him there.”
- King Hermance was slain through felony and treason by two knights he had raised.(Book X, Chapter LXII)
- “insomuch as I, King Hermance, King of the Red City, thus am slain by felony and treason, through two knights of mine own, and of mine own bringing up and of mine own making”
- King Hermance offered all his lands and rents to whoever avenged his death.(Book X, Chapter LXII)
- “I, King Hermance, King of the Red City, freely give him all my lands and rents that ever I wielded in my life.”
- Sir Palomides undertook to avenge King Hermance’s death.(Book X, Chapter LXII)
- With: Sir Palomides
- “by his commandment I came hither to revenge your king’s death; and therefore have done, and let me wit where I shall find those traitors”
- Helius and Helake killed King Hermance through felony and treason.(Book X, Chapter LXIII)
- Sir Palomides declared that he came to avenge King Hermance’s death by fighting Helius and Helake.(Book X, Chapter LXIII · 📍 Red City)
- With: Sir Palomides Helius Helake
- “Be ye the two brethren, Helius and Helake, that slew your king and lord, Sir Hermance, by felony and treason, for whom that I am come hither to revenge his death?”