† Indicates a Knight of the Round Table.
Name | Other names | Earliest appearance | Works featured in | Description |
Post-Vulgate Cycle, 1230s | Morgan le Fay's love | |||
Agloval, Sir Aglovale de Galis | The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis, The Once and Future King | King Pellinore's eldest son | ||
Agravaine | ||||
Amhar, Amir, Anir | Historia Brittonum, c. 820 | Son of King Arthur | ||
Andred | Cousin of Tristram | |||
Arthur Pendragon | Y Gododdin, c. 7th century | Many | High King of Britain, ruler of Logres and lord of Camelot | |
Ambrosius Aurelianus | Historia Brittonum c. 820 | Uther Pendragon's brother, High King of Britain before him | ||
Meleagant's father and ruler of Gorre | ||||
Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century;, The Once and Future King | Lancelot's father | |||
Sir Balan le Savage | Post-Vulgate Cycle, 1230s | Brother to Balin | ||
Sir Balin le Savage, Knight with Two Swords | Post-Vulgate Cycle, 1230s | Brother to Balan, kills the Lady of the Lake and strikes the Dolorous Stroke | ||
(Welsh: Bedwyr), (French: Bédoier), Bedevere | Pa Gur yv y Porthaur, c. 10th century | Vita Cadoc, Culhwch and Olwen, Stanzas of the Graves, Welsh Triads, Historia Regum Britanniae, Le Morte d'Arthur, numerous others | Returns Excalibur to The Lady of the Lake, brother to Sir Lucan | |
King Arthur's grandson through Tom a Lincoln. Another Black Knight is an antagonist figure | ||||
Perceval, the Story of the Grail, c. 1181 | ||||
(French: Bohort) | Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century; The Once and Future King | Brother to King Ban, and an ally of Arthur's | ||
Son of Bors the Elder, father of Elyan the White | ||||
Brangaene, Brangwane, Brangien | Tristan, 12th century | Handmaid to Iseult | ||
Bruin | Sir Bruin Surnamed the Black | Unknown Family, One of the original 32 Knights of the Round Table | ||
Brunor, La Cote Male Taile | Knight who wears his murdered father's coat, brother of Dinadan and Daniel | |||
Brut, Brute, (Welsh: Bryttys) | Historia Brittonum, c. 820 | First King of Britain, a Trojan | ||
(Latin: Cadorius) | Raised Guinevere as his ward, father to Constantine III of Britain, described in some works as Arthur's cousin | |||
Celia, The Faerie Queene | The Faerie Queene, 1590; Tom a Lincoln part 1, 1599 | Tom a'Lincoln's lover, mother to the Faerie Knight | ||
Colgrevance, Cynan | Cousin to Sir Ywain | |||
(Latin: Caractacus), (Welsh: Caradog Freichfras), (French: Carados Briefbras) | Rebelled against Arthur when he first became king, but later supported him, sometimes two characters—Caradoc the Elder (a king) and Caradoc the Younger (a knight) | |||
(Welsh: Cattegirn) | Historia Brittonum, 9th century; Harleian genealogies; Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1134 | |||
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 9th century | First King of Wessex | |||
A Frankish King antagonistic to Arthur, has two sons, Dorin and Claudin | ||||
Virtuous son of the Frankish villain Claudas, eventually becomes one of 12 knights to achieve the Holy Grail | ||||
Based on the historical figure Constans | Son of Constantine II of Britain, older brother to Uther Pendragon | |||
Based on the historical figure Constantine | Arthur's grandfather, father to Uther Pendragon, Constans, and Ambrosius Aurelianus | |||
Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | Arthur's nephew and successor to his throne, Cador's son | |||
Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | Cousin of Arthur's in early Welsh legend | |||
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 9th century | Second King of Wessex, son of Cerdic | |||
Arthur's court jester | ||||
Daniel von Blumenthal, 1220 | A Knight of the Round Table found in an early German offshoot of Arthurian legend | |||
Son of Sir Brunor the Senior | ||||
(Italian: Agrestizia), (Welsh: Danbrann), Dindraine, Heliabel | Sister (sometimes half-sister) of Percival, plays a large part in many Holy Grail stories | |||
Durnure | Sir Durnure, Dornar | One of Three Sons of King Pellinore, one of the original 32 Knights of the Round Table | ||
Hector, Antor, Ectorius | Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century | Raises Arthur according to Merlin's command, father to Sir Kay | ||
Edern, son of Nudd, Yder, Yver, Isdernus, Knight of the Sparrowhawk | Culhwch and Olwen, c. 1100 | Brother of Gwyn ap Nudd, rival to Erec/Geraint, originally a hostile figure, later a member of Arthur's retinue | ||
Elaine the White, Elaine the Fair, The Lady of Shalott | Le Morte d'Arthur, 1470 | Daughter of Bernard of Astolat, classic Arthurian figure of unrequited love | ||
Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century | Wife of King Ban and mother to Lancelot, Evaine's sister | |||
Amite, Helaine, Helizabel | Perceval, the Story of the Grail c. 1181 | Daughter of the Fisher King, mother of Galahad by Lancelot | ||
Daughter of Gorlois and Igraine, sister to Morgan le Fay and Morgause and a half-sister to King Arthur, wife to King Nentres. | ||||
Daughter of King Pellinore, lover of Sir Miles of the Laundes | ||||
Niece of the Lord of the Fens and wife of Persides the Red of the Castle of Gazevilte | ||||
Nephew to Arthur, son of Madoc, Uther Pendragon's son | ||||
(French: Helyan le Blanc) | Son of Sir Bors and Claire, King Brandegoris' daughter, helps Lancelot rescue Guinevere and goes into exile with him | |||
Enid | Erec and Enide, c. 1170 | Erec's wife | ||
Epinogres | Sir Epinogres | Son of King of Umberland, and brother unto Enchantress Vivien, one of the original 32 Knights of the Round Table | ||
Erec† | Unclear; first literary appearance as Erec in Erec and Enide, c. 1170 | see Geraint and Enid | Son of King Lac and a Knight of the Round Table | |
Escanor the Handsome | Girart | King of the White Mountain and nephew of Escanor the large, Gawain defeated him in combat after Escanor tried to abduct Sir Girflct. | ||
Escanor the Large | Atre, Girart | Son of a giant and a witch, brother of Alienor, and uncle of Escanor the Handsome, he shared Gawain's power by which his strength waxed and waned with the sun. | ||
Father of Palamedes, Safir, and Segwarides | ||||
Defended a magical fountain in the Forest of Broceliande, married to Laudine | ||||
Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century | Wife of Bors the Elder, mother of Bors the Younger and Lionel, sister of Elaine of Benoic, aunt of Lancelot | |||
Tom a Lincoln part 1, 1599 | Illegitimate son of Tom a'Lincoln and Caelia, the Faerie Queen, half brother to the Black Knight | |||
Parzival, early 13th century | Half-brother to Percival | |||
The Wounded King, Pelles, Pelias | Perceval, the Story of the Grail, c. 1181 | Queste del Saint Graal, c. 1220; Prose Tristan, c. 1230, The Once and Future King | Guardian of the Holy Grail, Father of Elaine of Corbenic | |
Son of King Lot and Morgause, brother to Gawain, Agravaine, and Gareth, and half-brother to Mordred | ||||
Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century | Illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic | |||
Galehalt, Galehaut | Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century | Former enemy of Arthur who becomes close friends with Lancelot | ||
Galeshin | Son of Elaine of Garlot and King Nentres, nephew of Arthur | |||
Also a son of Lot and Morgause, in love with Lyonesse | ||||
(Latin: Walwanus), (Welsh: Gwalchmai), (Irish: Balbhuaidh) | Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | Conte du Graal, Lancelot-Grail cycle, Prose Tristan, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Le Morte D'Arthur, The Once and Future King, many short Middle English romances | Another son of Lot and Morgause, father of Gingalain | |
Geneir Gwystyl | One of King Arthur's knights in the Welsh Arthurian legend[1] | |||
Enid's lover | ||||
Guinglain, Gingalin, Gliglois, Wigalois, Le Bel Inconnu, Libeaus Desconus[2] | Le Bel Inconnu | Gawain's and Blanchemal's son | ||
(Old Welsh: Gwrlais) | Igraine's first husband before she married Uther Pendragon, father of Morgause and Morgan le Fay. | |||
Erec and Enide, c. 1170 | Percival's mentor | |||
Palamedes, 1235–1240 | Palamedes, Guiron Compilation | Companion of Meliodas | ||
Green Knight, The | Bercilak, Bertilak, Bernlak, Bredbeddle | A knight enchanted by Morgan le Fay in order to test Gawain | ||
Girflet, Jaufre | The son of Do (or Don), cousin to Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere | |||
(Welsh: Gwyn Calet, Ceincaled) | Erec and Enide, c. 1170 | Gawain's horse | ||
Gwenhwyvach | Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | Welsh Triads, Misfortunes of Elphin | Guinevere's half-sister | |
(Welsh: Gwenhwyfar), (Latin: Guanhumara) | Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | Many | High Queen of Britain, wife of King Arthur, famous for her affair with Lancelot | |
Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | One of Arthur's knights. Brother of Edern ap Nudd, rival of Gwythyr ap Greidawl, lover of Creiddylad | |||
Ector de Maris | Quest du Saint Graal, Vulgate Cycle, The Once and Future King | Half-brother of Lancelot, son of King Ban and the Lady de Maris, Sir Bors and Sir Lionel are his cousins | ||
Hengist | An Anglo-Saxon king killed by Uther Pendragon, Horsa's brother | |||
Huail | Culhwch and Olwen, c. 1110 | A Pictish plunderer and chieftain, killed by Arthur, brother to Saint Gildas | ||
Hoel† | (Welsh: Howel, Hywel) | Son of King Budic of Brittany, father to St. Tudwal | ||
Brother to Hengest | ||||
(Latin: Igerna), (Welsh: Eigyr), (French Igerne), Ygrayne, Arnive. | Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | Mother to King Arthur through an affair with Uther Pendragon, mother of Morgause and Morgan le Fay through her first husband Gorlois | ||
Isolde, Yseult, Isode, Isoude, Isotta | Wife of Mark of Cornwall and adulterous lover of Sir Tristan | |||
Isolde, Yseult, Isode, Isoude, Isotta | Iseult of Ireland's mother | |||
Isolde, Yseult, Isode, Isoude, Isotta | Daughter of Hoel of Brittany, sister of Sir Kahedin, and wife of Tristan | |||
Joseph d'Arimathie [fr], 12th century | First keeper of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend | |||
Josephe, Josephes | Son of Joseph of Arimathea | |||
Kay† | (Welsh: Cai), (Latin: Caius) | Pa Gur yv y porthaur, 10th century | Many | Foster brother to Arthur, Sir Ector's son |
Kahadin, Kahedrin, Kehenis, Kehidius, possibly (Welsh: Kae Hir) | Roman de Tristan | Brother to Iseult, son of King Hoel, had an affair with Brangaine | ||
Nimue, Viviane, Niniane, Nyneve | Unclear; a water fay is first mentioned as Lancelot's foster mother in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, 1170s | Many | ||
Son of King Pellinore, brother to Tor, Aglovale, Percival, and Dindrane, lover of Morgause | ||||
Lancelot du Lac, Lancelot of the Lake, Launcelot | Erec and Enide, c. 1170 | Son to King Ban and Elaine, most famous for his affair with Queen Guinevere, Arthur's wife, most prominent Knight of the Round Table | ||
Landevale, Launfal, Lambewell | Lanval, late 12th century | Sir Landevale, Sir Launfal, Sir Lambewell | A knight of King Arthur's court who falls in love with a fairy | |
Lady of the Fountain | Sir Ywain's wife | |||
Leondegrance, Leodegraunce | Guinevere's father, King of Cameliard in what is now southwest England | |||
Lancelot-Grail, early 13th century; The Once and Future King | Son of King Bors of Gaunnes (or Gaul), brother of Bors the Younger | |||
Loherangrin, Lorengel | Parzival, early 13th century | Parzival, Lohengrin, Lorengel, Richard Wagner's Lohengrin | A knight of the Holy Grail, son of Percival | |
Possibly Llacheu (similar character in Welsh sources) | Perlesvaus, Vulgate Cycle (as Loholt) | Illegitimate son of Arthur | ||
Loth | Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | King of Lothian, father to Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth | ||
Sir Lucan the Butler | Servant to King Arthur, Bedivere's brother, Griflet's cousin | |||
Lucius Tiberius, Lucius Hiberius | Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | A fictional Roman Emperor and antagonist to Arthur | ||
(Welsh: Luned), (French: Lunete, Lunet) | Handmaiden and advisor to Laudine | |||
Le Morte d'Arthur, c. 1470 | Seeks aid from Arthur to rescue her sister Lyonesse, Arthur sends an incognito Gareth, who she berates until he proves his worth | |||
Le Morte d'Arthur, c. 1470 | Entrapped sister of Lynette, rescued by Gareth, whom she eventually marries | |||
Culhwch and Olwen, 11th century | Culhwch and Olwen, 11th century | Llamrei was a mare owned by King Arthur | ||
Culhwch and Olwen, 11th century | ||||
Madawg | Son of Uther Pendragon, brother of Arthur in early Welsh tradition, father of Eliwlod | |||
Malagant, Meleagant, perhaps Melwas | Unclear, a similar character named "Melwas" appears in the 12th century Life of Gildas | Abductor of Guinevere | ||
Manawyddan | Culhwch and Olwen (circa 1100) | Originally a British god; appeared as a knight of Arthur's in Culhwch and Olwen | ||
(Latin: Marcus Cunomorus), (Cornish: Margh), (Welsh: March) | Possibly based on a historical figure from the 6th century | |||
Father to Mark of Cornwall | ||||
Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | Elder son of Mordred | |||
Meliadus | Father to Tristan, Tristan's father was named Rivalen in earlier versions | |||
Culhwch and Olwen c. 1100 | Enchanter, member of Arthur's retinue | |||
(Welsh: Myrddin), Myrddin Emrys, Merlin Ambrosius, Merlyn | Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136, but derived from earlier Welsh tales | Many | Wizard, guide to King Arthur | |
Culhwch and Olwen, Welsh Triads, 11th century | ||||
Modred, (Welsh: Medrawd, Latin: Medraut) | Annales Cambriae, c. 970 | Many | In some literature, Arthur's illegitimate son through Morgause (or Morgan le Fay), kills and is killed by Arthur | |
Morgaine, Morgain, Morgana | Unclear; first mention as Morgan in Vita Merlini, c. 1150 | Many | Sorceress, half-sister and sometime antagonist of Arthur, and (in some traditions) mother of Mordred | |
Anna | Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | The Once and Future King, many others | ||
Head physician of Arthur's court | ||||
Marhalt, Morold, Marhaus | Tristan, 12th century | Tristan poems, Prose Tristan, Post-Vulgate Cycle, Le Morte d'Arthur | Irish knight, rival of Tristan, uncle of Iseult | |
Moriaen | Morien, 13th century | |||
Owain's twin sister | ||||
see Lady of the Lake | ||||
Auberon, King of Shadows and Fairies | King of the Fairies, sometimes identified as a son of Morgan le Fay | |||
Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | Daughter of Ysbaddaden, beloved of Culhwch | |||
Haughty Maiden of Logres | Perceval, the Story of the Grail, c. 1181 | A wife of Gawain | ||
see Ywain | Historical figure | Son of Urien | ||
Palamede, Palomides | Prose Tristan, 1230s, Le Morte D'Arthur | Saracen Knight of the Round Table | ||
Parcenet | A maid from Queen Ettarre's court who helps Sir Pelleas | |||
King Pellam of Listeneise, Pellehan | see Fisher King | |||
Pellias | Post-Vulgate Cycle, 1230s | A Knight of the Round table in love with Ettarre, later lover of Nimue | ||
see Fisher King | ||||
King of Listenoise, friend to Arthur, father to many | ||||
Penpingion[3] | A comic character; one of the gatekeepers at Arthur's court, subservient to Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr.[3] Killed in the hunt for Twrch Trwyth.[4] | |||
Petitcreiu, Petitcru, Pticru | Tristan, 12th century | |||
(Welsh: Peredur) Perceval, Parzifal | Erec and Enide, c. 1170 | Achiever of the Holy Grail, King Pellinore's son in some tales | ||
Beste Glatisant (Barking Beast) | Perlesvaus, c. 1210 | Gerbert's Continuation of Perceval, the Story of the Grail, Post Vulgate Suite du Merlin, Prose Tristan, Le Morte d'Arthur | ||
(Lady) Ragnell | Sir Gawain's wife, in some legends mother of Percival | |||
Perceval, the Story of the Grail, c. 1181 | Appears in many tales, usually as an antagonist | |||
Ritho, Ryence, Ryons, and Rion | Historia Regum Britanniae, c. 1136 | King defeated by Arthur | ||
Son to Esclabor, brother of Segwarides and Palamedes | ||||
Sagramor | Ubiquitous Knight of the Round Table; various stories and origins are given for him | |||
Sigurant, Seguarant, Sigurant | Segurant, the Knight of the Dragon, late 13th century. | Prophecies of Merlin | Knight of the Isle of Not-Knowing, son of Hector the Brown, Dragon slayer, | |
Historical figure | The Welsh Triads, Story of Taliesin, Alfred, Idylls of the King | Bard to King Arthur, oldest known Welsh poet | ||
The Red Rose Knight | Tom a Lincoln part 1, 1599; possibly mentioned in Robert Greene's Farewell to Folly, 1591 | Illegitimate son of King Arthur through Angelica | ||
The History of Tom Thumb, Tom Thumb, The Tragedy of Tragedies | A tiny creation of Merlin, later becomes Arthur's court dwarf and an honorary knight | |||
Tor† | Son of King Ars, adopted by Pellinore | |||
(Latin/Brythonic: Drustanus), (Welsh: Drystan), (Portuguese: Tristão), (Spanish: Tristán), Tristran, Tristram | Roman de Tristan | "Roman de Tristan", the two "Folies Tristans", "Chevrefeuil", Prose Tristan, Post-Vulgate Cycle, Le Morte d'Arthur | Son of Blancheflor and Rivalen (or Meliodas), Iseult's lover | |
Uriens | Historical figure | Father of Ywain (Owain mab Urien), husband of Morgan le Fay | ||
(French: Uter Pendragon), (Welsh: Wthyr Bendragon, Uthr Bendragon, Uthyr Pendraeg) | Pa Gur yv y Porthaur?, c. 10th century | Arthur's father | ||
(Latin: Urtigernus), Guorthigirn, Vortiger, Vortigen, Gwrtheyrn | Probably a historical figure, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 721 | King of Britain whose decisions assisted the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain | ||
Historia Brittonum, c. 820 | Son of Vortigern | |||
Culhwch and Olwen, c. 11th century | A giant and antagonist | |||
(Welsh: Owain), Yvain, Ewain, Uwain | Based on the historical figure Owain mab Urien | Urien's son, Morvydd's brother | ||
Ywain the Adventurous | ||||