Joseph

Also known as: Joseph of Aramathie · Family: holy figures · Role: knight · First appears: Book XIII, Chapter X

In Book XIII, Chapter X, Mondrames defeated the pagan ruler in Great Britain and released Joseph from imprisonment. Joseph is remembered as “the gentle knight, the which took down our Lord off the holy Cross.” His son, Joseph the son of Joseph of Aramathie, went to King Evelake, and Joseph soon departed with King Evelake, who went with him.

Not long after, Joseph bled from the nose and marked King Evelake’s shield with a cross of his own blood as a token of affection. He said the shield should be left where Nacien would be buried, so that Galahad would later bear it after receiving knighthood. In Book XIV, Chapter III, Joseph was sent by Jesu Christ to teach and preach the Christian faith, and in Sarras he converted King Evelake.

In Book XVII, Joseph the son of Joseph of Aramathie was named the founder of King Bagdemagus’s tomb. At the year’s end, after Galahad had borne the crown of gold, Joseph revealed himself to him: “I am Joseph of Aramathie, the which Our Lord hath sent here to thee to bear thee fellowship;”

Relationship record

Life events

• Mondrames defeated the pagan ruler and released Joseph from imprisonment.(Book XIII, Chapter X · 📍 Great Britain)
  • With: Mondrames
  • “and so he came into the land of Great Britain and disherited this felon paynim and consumed him, and therewith delivered Joseph out of prison.”
• Joseph marks King Evelake’s shield with a blood cross as a lasting token of affection.(Book XIII, Chapter XI)
  • With: King Evelake
  • “Then Joseph bled sore at the nose, so that he might not by no mean be staunched. And there upon that shield he made a cross of his own blood.”
• Joseph reveals that Galahad will bear the shield after it is placed where Nacien is buried.(Book XIII, Chapter XI)
  • With: King Evelake Galahad Nacien
  • “Ye shall leave it thereas Nacien, the hermit, shall be put after his death; for thither shall that good knight come the fifteenth day after that he shall receive the order of knighthood”
• Jesu Christ sent Joseph of Aramathie into the land to teach and preach the Christian faith.(Book XIV, Chapter III)
  • With: Jesu Christ
  • “how he was sent by Jesu Christ into this land for to teach and preach the holy Christian faith”
• Joseph of Aramathie converted King Evelake in the city of Sarras.(Book XIV, Chapter III · 📍 Sarras)
  • With: King Evelake
  • “in the city of Sarras he converted a king whose name was Evelake”
• Joseph of Aramathie reveals his identity and divine mission to Galahad.(Book XVII, Chapter XXII · 📍 the palace)
  • With: Galahad
  • “I am Joseph of Aramathie, the which Our Lord hath sent here to thee to bear thee fellowship;”

Book XIII, Chapter X

• with Jesu Christ (Joseph removed Jesu Christ from the Cross.) “Joseph of Aramathie, the gentle knight, the which took down our Lord off the holy Cross”
• child: Joseph the son of Joseph of Aramathie (Joseph the younger is explicitly identified as Joseph of Aramathie's son.) “Then Joseph, the son of Joseph of Aramathie, went to King Evelake”
• with King Evelake (Evelake travels with Joseph.) “So, soon after Joseph would depart, and King Evelake would go with him, whether he wold or nold.”
• with Mondrames (Mondrames rescues Joseph from imprisonment.) “and therewith delivered Joseph out of prison”
• friends with King Evelake “So, soon after Joseph would depart, and King Evelake would go with him, whether he wold or nold.”

Book XIII, Chapter XI

• with King Evelake (Joseph expresses love and gives Evelake a blood-marked shield as a token.) “Now may ye see a remembrance that I love you, for ye shall never see this shield but ye shall think on me, and it shall be always as fresh as it is now.”
• with Galahad (Galahad is prophesied to bear Joseph's shield, and the shield is associated with Joseph's lineage.) “And never shall man bear this shield about his neck but he shall repent it, unto the time that Galahad, the good knight, bear it; and the last of my lineage shall have it about his neck, that shall do many marvellous deeds.”
• with King Evelake (Evelake says he left his country for Joseph's love and asks for a token.) “For thy love I have left my country, and sith ye shall depart out of this world, leave me some token of yours that I may think on you.”

Book XIV, Chapter III

• with Jesu Christ (Jesu Christ commissioned Joseph to teach and preach.) “how he was sent by Jesu Christ into this land for to teach and preach the holy Christian faith”

Book XVII, Chapter XVIII

• child: King Bagdemagus (Joseph of Aramathie is identified as Bagdemagus's father.) “the tomb of King Bagdemagus, but he was founder thereof, Joseph of Aramathie’s son”

Book XVII, Chapter XX

• with Galahad (Joseph kisses Galahad and instructs him.) “And then he went to Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and kiss his fellows: and so he did anon.”

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Extracted from the original text of Le Morte d'Arthur. Made with Rho MD.