King Bagdemagus

Also known as: Bagdemagus / Sir Bagdemagus · Family: Bagdemagus · Role: knight · First appears: Book IV, Chapter V

In Book IV, King Arthur chose Sir Tor before him for a seat among the Round Table knights, and Bagdemagus departed in anger: “whereof Sir Bagdemagus was wonderly wroth, that Sir Tor was advanced afore him”. At the cross, he found that he could not return until he had won a Round Table knight in combat; after doing so, he came back to court and was made a knight of the Round Table. He would also have helped Merlin and went to the great stone.

By Book VI, Bagdemagus had Sir Launcelot’s promised support at a tournament, welcomed him warmly, and later rode with him to his castle. His forces opposed the King of Northgalis’s, suffering heavy losses in the first clash before Bagdemagus received the prize. He was the father of Sir Meliaganus; Sir Gareth later struck him down, and Sir Palamides also defeated him among the knights he overcame. In Book X, Bagdemagus sent away Sir Meliagaunce so that he would not meet Sir Launcelot, then defeated King Marsil and Sir Gaheris in the jousts and won the day’s prize. He aided Sir Lamorak with Sir Launcelot, jousted against Sir Launcelot alongside Sir Galahalt, and joined Sir Galahalt in holding the tournament at Cornwall, where Sir Tristram endured their attack and won.

At White Abbey in Book XIII, Bagdemagus took the perilous white shield to test his worthiness, but a mysterious white knight defeated and severely wounded him before taking it away; he was then found with Sir Uwaine and made great solace with Galahad. In Book XVII, a tomb identified him as King Bagdemagus of Gore, slain by Sir Gawaine: “Here lieth King Bagdemagus of Gore, which King Arthur’s nephew slew; and named him, Sir Gawaine.” He is also named as the father of Sir Meliagrance, and his tomb was associated with Joseph.