Sir Damas

Role: lord of the castle · First appears: Book IV, Chapter VII

As lord of the castle, Sir Damas captured knights by force and brought them to his prison. In Book IV, Chapter VII, he was at war with his younger brother Sir Ontzlake, who repeatedly offered to fight him body for body, though Sir Damas refused. When King Arthur agreed to fight for his release and the freedom of the prisoners, Sir Damas accepted the covenant, swore fealty to King Arthur, and promised to deliver the other knights.

In Chapter XII, King Arthur awarded the whole manor to Sir Ontzlake, leaving Sir Damas only a yearly palfrey, and ordered him to restore the twenty imprisoned knights with all their harness. Later, at Carlisle in Book XX, Chapter VIII, Sir Damas was among the armed knights slain by Sir Launcelot during the rescue of Dame Guenever.

Relationship record

Life events

• Sir Damas captures knights and brings them to his prison.(Book IV, Chapter VII)
  • “he hath taken them by force and brought them to his prison.”
• King Arthur agrees to fight for Sir Damas to escape prison and free the prisoners.(Book IV, Chapter VII)
  • With: King Arthur
  • “I will do the battle.”
• Sir Damas agrees to Arthur's terms and swears to deliver the other knights.(Book IV, Chapter VII)
  • With: King Arthur
  • “So Sir Damas and he were agreed that he should fight for him upon this covenant, that all other knights should be delivered; and unto that was Sir Damas sworn unto Arthur”
• King Arthur awards Sir Ontzlake the manor, while Sir Damas retains only its yearly palfrey.(Book IV, Chapter XII)
  • With: King Arthur Sir Ontzlake
  • “therefore I will that ye give unto your brother all the whole manor with the appurtenance, under this form, that Sir Ontzlake hold the manor of you, and yearly to give you a palfrey to ride upon”
• Sir Damas is ordered to release the twenty knights he has imprisoned.(Book IV, Chapter XII)
  • With: King Arthur
  • “And also that thou restore these twenty knights that thou hast long kept prisoners, of all their harness, that they be content for”
• Sir Launcelot slew the armed knights who opposed his rescue of Dame Guenever.(Book XX, Chapter VIII · 📍 Carlisle)
  • With: Sir Launcelot Sir Belliance le Orgulous Sir Segwarides Sir Griflet Sir Brandiles Sir Aglovale Sir Tor Sir Gauter Sir Gillimer Sir Priamus Sir Kay the Stranger Sir Driant Sir Lambegus Sir Herminde Sir Pertilope Sir Perimones the Green Knight the Red Knight
  • “For there was slain Sir Belliance le Orgulous, Sir Segwarides, Sir Griflet, Sir Brandiles, Sir Aglovale, Sir Tor; Sir Gauter, Sir Gillimer, Sir Reynolds’ three brethren; Sir Damas, Sir Priamus, Sir Kay the Stranger, Sir Driant, Sir Lambegus, Sir Herminde; Sir Pertilope, Sir Perimones, two brethren that were called the Green Knight and the Red Knight.”

Book IV, Chapter VII

• siblings with Sir Ontzlake “he hath a younger brother, a good knight of prowess, his name is Sir Ontzlake”
• rivals with Sir Ontzlake “great war hath been betwixt them both, but Ontzlake hath ever the better, and ever he proffereth Sir Damas to fight for the livelihood, body for body”
• with King Arthur (Arthur agrees to serve as Damas's champion.) “So Sir Damas and he were agreed that he should fight for him upon this covenant, that all other knights should be delivered”
• younger kin: Sir Ontzlake “and he hath a younger brother, a good knight of prowess, his name is Sir Ontzlake”
• enemies with Sir Ontzlake “and great war hath been betwixt them both, but Ontzlake hath ever the better, and ever he proffereth Sir Damas to fight for the livelihood, body for body, but he will not do;”
• sworn: King Arthur “and unto that was Sir Damas sworn unto Arthur, and also to do the battle to the uttermost.”

Book IV, Chapter XII

• siblings with Sir Ontzlake “ye shall understand the opinion betwixt you two brethren: As to thee, Sir Damas, for whom I have been champion and won the field of this knight, yet will I judge because ye, Sir Damas, are called an orgulous knight, and full of villainy, and not worth of prowess your deeds, therefore I will that ye give unto your brother all the whole manor with the appurtenance, under this form, that Sir Ontzlake hold the manor of you, and yearly to give you a palfrey to ride upon, for that will become you better to ride on than upon a courser.”
• with King Arthur (King Arthur acted as Sir Damas's champion.) “As to thee, Sir Damas, for whom I have been champion and won the field of this knight”
• with Sir Ontzlake (Sir Ontzlake was to hold Sir Damas's manor and provide him a palfrey.) “therefore I will that ye give unto your brother all the whole manor with the appurtenance, under this form, that Sir Ontzlake hold the manor of you, and yearly to give you a palfrey to ride upon”

Book XX, Chapter VIII

• with Sir Launcelot (Launcelot slew Damas in the rescue.) “For there was slain Sir Belliance le Orgulous, Sir Segwarides, Sir Griflet, Sir Brandiles, Sir Aglovale, Sir Tor; Sir Gauter, Sir Gillimer, Sir Reynolds’ three brethren; Sir Damas, Sir Priamus, Sir Kay the Stranger, Sir Driant, Sir Lambegus, Sir Herminde; Sir Pertilope, Sir Perimones, two brethren that were called the Green Knight and the Red Knight.”

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