King Pellinore

Also known as: Knight with the Strange Beast / Pellinore / Sir Pellinore · Family: Round Table · Role: king · First appears: Book I, Chapter XIX

In Book I, Pellinore, then king, had followed the Questing Beast for a year when he seized King Arthur’s horse and continued the pursuit. At the fountain, he and King Arthur jousted repeatedly: Pellinore unhorsed him, was thrown down in return, and then brought him beneath him after Arthur’s sword broke. As Pellinore raised his sword, Merlin enchanted him into sleep, saving Arthur’s life; Merlin revealed his name and said he would later serve King Arthur, while foretelling the prowess of his sons Percivale of Wales and Lamerake of Wales. Pellinore later fought Egglame, who fled toward Carlion, while Merlin concealed Arthur from him.

In Book II, Pellinore struck King Lot through the helmet and head, and golden letters declared that Sir Gawaine would avenge Lot’s death. In Book III, Merlin revealed Pellinore as the father of Sir Tor, whom Pellinore had knighted at Aries the cowherd’s request; King Arthur welcomed him at court, and Merlin gave him the seat of greatest honor. Pellinore swore fealty with the Round Table knights, accepted quests for Arthur, and fought Hontzlake of Wentland, killing him after Hontzlake slew his horse. He escorted Nimue toward Camelot at Sir Meliot of Logurs’s request, later carried the dead knight to a hermitage after the lady was devoured by wild beasts, and learned from Merlin that Eleine was his daughter. Queen Guenever blamed him for not saving her life, while Merlin also foretold that the man Pellinore trusted most would abandon him in fatal distress.

Pellinore’s sons included Sir Tor, Sir Aglovale, Sir Durnore, Sir Lamorak, Sir Percivale, and Dornar; he praised Tor as an exceptionally good knight. In Book IX, Sir Tristram defeated and wounded him in a joust. In Book X, Sir Lamorak identified himself as Pellinore’s son and Tor’s half brother, and Sir Gawaine sought revenge for the dishonor Lamorak had brought upon his family. Sir Gawaine and Sir Gaheris were later revealed to have slain Pellinore; the killing was called treacherous, and Sir Palamides followed the Questing Beast after Pellinore’s death.