King Rience

Also known as: King Rience of North Wales / Rience · Family: North Wales · Role: king · First appears: Book I, Chapter XVII

King Rience of North Wales first appears at war with Leodegrance, whose cause angered King Arthur and made them enemies. He laid siege to Leodegrance, but within six days King Arthur, King Ban, and Sir Bors rescued him, slew many of Rience’s people, and put Rience to flight. At Sorhaute, Rience joined other kings in fortifying the marches, while Nero, described as his brother, was also his ally.

By Book I, Chapter XXVI, Rience had conquered eleven kings and received their homage. Naram described him as “a passing good man of his body, as few be living, and a passing proud man,” and warned King Arthur that he would make war with a mighty force. When King Arthur refused to pay homage, Rience demanded that he submit or lose his head, declaring, “I will have his head without he do me homage.”

In Book II, Rience invaded England, burning and killing King Arthur’s loyal subjects, while his knights were said to have failed in drawing the sword. Balin vowed to seek and destroy him, and later, with Balan, brought Rience to King Arthur and delivered him to the porters. That night, Rience was also connected with Lady de Vance, as he was meant to lie with her.