Ablamar of the Marsh

Also known as: Ablamar · Role: knight · First appears: Book III, Chapter VI

Life events

Ablamar kills two of Sir Gawaine's greyhounds after the hart is slain.(Book III, Chapter VI)
- With: Sir Gawaine
- “Right so there came a knight out of a chamber with a sword drawn in his hand and slew two of the greyhounds, even in the sight of Sir Gawaine, and the remnant he chased them with his sword out of the castle.”
Sir Gawaine defeats Ablamar, who cries for mercy and yields his life.(Book III, Chapter VI)
- With: Sir Gawaine
- “At the last Sir Gawaine smote the knight so hard that he fell to the earth, and then he cried mercy, and yielded him, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman, to save his life.”
Sir Gawaine accidentally kills Ablamar's lady while attempting to strike him.(Book III, Chapter VI)
- With: Sir Gawaine
- “Right so came his lady out of a chamber and fell over him, and so he smote off her head by misadventure.”
Ablamar swears to report to King Arthur and departs toward Camelot, carrying the surviving greyhounds.(Book III, Chapter VI · 📍 Camelot)
- With: Sir Gawaine King Arthur
- “but so for dread of death he swore to go unto King Arthur, and he made him to bear one greyhound before him on his horse, and another behind him. What is your name? said Sir Gawaine, or we depart. My name is, said the knight, Ablamar of the Marsh. So he departed toward Camelot.”

Book III, Chapter VI

enemies with Sir Gawaine “Then Sir Gawaine alighted afoot and dressed his shield, and struck together mightily, and clave their shields, and stoned their helms, and brake their hauberks that the blood ran down to their feet. At the last Sir Gawaine smote the knight so hard that he fell to the earth, and then he cried mercy, and yielded him, and besought him as he was a knight and gentleman, to save his life. Thou shalt die, said Sir Gawaine, for slaying of my hounds. I will make amends, said the knight, unto my power. Sir Gawaine would no mercy have, but unlaced his helm to have stricken off his head. Right so came his lady out of a chamber and fell over him, and so he smote off her head by misadventure. Alas, said Gaheris, that is foully and shamefully done, that shame shall never from you; also ye should give mercy unto them that ask mercy, for a knight without mercy is without worship. Sir Gawaine was so stonied of the death of this fair lady that he wist not what he did, and said unto the knight, Arise, I will give thee mercy. Nay, nay, said the knight, I take no force of mercy now, for thou hast slain my love and my lady that I loved best of all earthly things. Me sore repenteth it, said Sir Gawaine, for I thought to strike unto thee; but now thou shalt go unto King Arthur and tell him of thine adventures, and how thou art overcome by the knight that went in the quest of the white hart. I take no force, said the knight, whether I live or I die; but so for dread of death he swore to go unto King Arthur, and he made him to bear one greyhound before him on his horse, and another behind him. What is your name? said Sir Gawaine, or we depart. My name is, said the knight, Ablamar of the Marsh.”
with Sir Gawaine (Sir Gawaine defeats Ablamar and orders him to report to King Arthur.) “but now thou shalt go unto King Arthur and tell him of thine adventures, and how thou art overcome by the knight that went in the quest of the white hart. I take no force, said the knight, whether I live or I die; but so for dread of death he swore to go unto King Arthur, and he made him to bear one greyhound before him on his horse, and another behind him. What is your name? said Sir Gawaine, or we depart. My name is, said the knight, Ablamar of the Marsh.”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

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