Lamorak

"Sir Lamorak" redirects here. For the ferry named for the mythical character, see RFA Sir Lamorak (L3532).

Lamorak /ˈlæmərək/ (or Lamorake,^[1] Lamorac[k],^[2][3] Lamerak,^[4] Lamero[c]ke,^[5][6] [L]Amaratto, Amorotto,^[7] and other spellings) de Galis (of Wales) is a Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. Originally known as Lamorat le Gallois (Lamourat^[5]) in French, he was introduced in the Prose Tristan as a son of King Pellinore. Another Lamorat (de Listenois) appears in only one romance as his father's brother.

Lamorak
Matter of Britain character
Sir Lamorack of Gales, Howard Pyle's illustration for The Story of the Champions of the Round Table
First appearance	Prose Tristan
In-universe information
Title	Prince, Sir
Occupation	Knight of the Round Table
Family	Pellinore (father) Aglovale, Drian, Percival, Tor, Dindrane (siblings)
Significant other	Morgause
Nationality	Welsh

In his English compilation Le Morte d'Arthur, Thomas Malory refers to him as King Arthur's third best knight, only inferior to Lancelot and Tristan, while the Prose Tristan names his as one of the top five.^[8] Nevertheless, Lamorak was not exceptionally popular in the chivalric romance tradition, confined to the cyclical material and subordinate to more prominent characters. Today, he is best known for his tragic love affair with Arthur's sister, the Queen of Orkney (Morgause in Malory), resulting in their deaths.

Legend

"Lambourc's" coat of arms

Lamorak is one of the sons of King Pellinore and a brother of Aglovale, Drian, Perceval, and Tor. His siblings may also include the Grail maiden Dindrane and others.^[9][10] Named after his uncle, who in his time had been one of the best knights of King Arthur's father Uther Pendragon, he gains fame for his strength, fiery temper, and feats of martial prowess, such as fighting off at least thirty knights by himself on more than one occasion. Lamorak's adventures often involve the Cornish prince Tristan, first as his mortal enemy, later turned his best friend. In one episode exclusive to the Italian Tavola Ritonda,^[11] for example, he helps Tristan escape from the castle of the lustful fairy enchantress Medeas.^[12]

Lamorak's death comes from how his father Pellinore, one of King Arthur's earliest royal allies, had once killed the rebellious King Lot of Orkney in battle. Ten years later, Lot's sons Gawain and Gaheris retaliated by slaying Pellinore in a duel. Lamorak, who meanwhile has joined Lot's sons at the Round Table, inflames the families' blood feud by having an affair with Lot's widow, the Queen of Orkney (Morgause). The Queen's son Gaheris catches the lovers in flagrante delicto while staying at Gawain's estate and promptly beheads her, letting her unarmed lover go. Lamorak reappears at a tournament and explains the situation to Arthur, but rejects the king's promise of protection at his court and enforcement of a truce between the two royal families. In the version made popular by Le Morte d'Arthur, when Lamorak rides off alone, he is ambushed in a wood by Gawain and Gaheris along with their brothers Agravain and Mordred, who had just murdered Drian. Together, the four unfairly fight him all at once for hours. Ultimately, it is Mordred who delivers a fatal blow on Lamorak from behind, after which Gawain beheads Lamorak. The episode reflects Gawain's earlier killing of Pellinore.^[13] In the P-V Folie Lancelot and the First Version of the Prose Tristan, Gawain beheads Lamorak (Lamorat), defeated by Mordred and Agravain in their ambush (in which Lamorak had first defeated Gawain), after Lamorak refuses to yield. This, too, is preceded by the mortal wounding of Drian.^[14]

Most other variants of the Prose Tristan report on his murder only very briefly; one of the exception is the late manuscript BnF 103 that seems to have been Malory's exact source.^[5] Arthur learns of the murder and the suspicion falls on the Orkney brothers. Lamorak's cousin, named Avarlon in the Post-Vulgate Cycle and Pinel le Savage in Le Morte d'Arthur, later attempts to avenge Lamorak's murder by poisoning Gawain at Queen Guinevere's dinner party. However, the poison is accidentally taken by Gaheris de Kareheu (unrelated to Gaheris the son of Lot), whose brother Mador de la Porte then blames the queen and demands Arthur to have her executed. Guinevere is saved when Lancelot fights Mador as her champion while the sorceress Nimue uncovers the truth behind the incident.

Lamorat de Listenois

Guiron le Courtois features his uncle named Lamorat de Listenois, a brother of Pellinor de Listenois. He adventures with Galehaut and Guiron, and is eventually accidentally killed by Dinadan's father known as the Good Knight Without Fear when the latter mistakes him for his enemy.^[15]