| Gaheris | |
|---|---|
| Matter of Britain character | |
 Gaheriet'sattributed arms | |
| First appearance | Perceval, the Story of the Grail |
| Created by | PossiblyChrétien de Troyes |
| Based on | LikelyGwalhafed |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | Prince, Sir |
| Occupation | Knight of the Round Table |
| Family | King Arthur's family InLe Morte d'Arthur: Lot,Morgause (parents);Agravain,Gawain,Gareth,Mordred (brothers) |
| Spouse | Lynette |
| Home | Orkney,Camelot |
Gaheris (/ɡəˈhɛrɪs/gə-HERR-iss;Old French:Gaheriet[/s/z],[note 1]Gaheriés,[note 2] etc.) is aKnight of the Round Table and a relative ofKing Arthur in thechivalric romance tradition of theArthurian legend. He is usually described as the third son of one of Arthur's half-sisters and her husbandLot, rulers of eitherOrkney orLothian. In the popular version found inThomas Malory'sLe Morte d'Arthur, Gaheris is the son of King Lot of Orkney and QueenMorgause, making him the younger brother ofGawain andAgravain, the elder brother ofGareth, and the half-brother of Arthur's sonMordred.
The character of Gaheris may have originated from the figure of Gawain's sole brother in early Welsh Arthurian tradition, who was later divided into two separate characters, one of whom became known as Malory's Gareth. In German medieval poetry, where no equivalent of Gareth exists, Gaheris appears instead as Gawain's cousin rather than his brother.
InLe Morte d'Arthur, Gaheris is portrayed largely as a supporting character to Arthur's chief nephew, Gawain, with the notable exception of his killing of their mother. His role is more substantial in the French prose cycles that served as Malory's sources, where he becomes the target of murderoussibling rivalry from his elder brother Agravain in theVulgate Cycle. Ultimately, both in these French texts and in Malory, Gaheris is slain alongside his brother Gareth duringLancelot's rescue ofGuinevere, an event that precipitates the downfall of Arthur's realm.
Gaheris and his brotherGareth are thought to have originated from a single figure — the only brother traditionally named for Gwalchmai ap Gwyar, the figure fromWelsh mythology generally identified withGawain. This character, a prince named Gwalchafed (Gwalhafed) or Gwalhauet (Gwalhavet) —Old Welsh for "Hawk of Summer" — ap Gwayr or mab Gwyar, is mentioned inCulhwch and Olwen.[6] He is regarded as the likely common source for both Gaheris and Gareth, assuming that Gawain himself was derived from Gwalchmai.[7] A later French-influenced Welsh romance,Seint Greal, in fact refers to Gwalchmai's brother as Gaharyet.[8]
The names of Gaheris and Gareth, as standardised byThomas Malory in his compilationLe Morte d'Arthur, are used here for clarity. However, in Malory's sources — the variousOld French prose romances — the two are found under a range of variant but similar spellings. Their adventures and character traits are often interchangeable or indistinguishable, and in some manuscripts the two are even conflated within the same text.[9] Due to the numerous confusing French spellings, the International Arthurian Society has described Malory's Gaheris and Gareth as "entirely different characters from Gaheriet and Guerrehes", while also suggesting that Malory may not have intentionally altered them, given the uncertainty surrounding his exact sources.[10]
In continental literature, a Gaheris-like name first appears asGaheriet (Gaherïet) amongKing Arthur's knights in the late 12th-century French poemErec and Enide byChrétien de Troyes.Gaheriet andGuerehet also appear in Chrétien's laterPerceval, the Story of the Grail, described as sons ofKing Lot and younger brothers ofGawain andAgravain.[note 3]
InWolfram von Eschenbach's German poemParzival, the figure of Gaheriet is represented by Gawain's cousin Gaherjet (Gaherjêt).Der Pleier’sMeleranz mentionsGaharet (also renderedKaheret inTandareis and Flordibel), a son of Arthur's sister Anthonje and the unnamed King of Gritenland,[12] presented as one of Gawain's (Gawan) cousins alongside the protagonist Meleranz.[13] AsKarjet (Karyet), he also appears inUlrich von Zatzikhoven'sLanzelet, where he assistsLancelot in rescuingGuinevere from King Valerin's abduction.[14]
The extensiveLancelot-Grail (Vulgate Cycle) prose cycle of the early 13th century is the first known work to feature Gaheris as a major character. In the ProseLancelot, Gaheris is portrayed as valiant, agile and handsome (with "his right arm longer than the left"), but reticent in speech and prone to excess when angered; he "was the least well-spoken of all his peers."[15] The narrative recounts how the nobles ofOrkney (Orcanie), which his father King Lot once ruled, wish to make Gaheris their king, believing him better suited than any of his brothers. Gaheris declines to be crowned until the completion of theGrail Quest. The ProseMerlin similarly depicts him as the finest warrior among Gawain's brothers, at least equal to Gawain himself.
As a youth, Gaheris joins Gawain and Agravain in defecting from Lot to support Arthur in his wars against the rebel kings and the Saxons (replaced by Saracens in some English versions such asArthour and Merlin). Distinguished for his valour, he is knighted by Arthur along with his brothers in the Vulgate Cycle, though in the laterPost-Vulgate Cycle he is knighted first among them. In the Post-VulgateMerlin, Gaheris receives flowers from the Queen of the Fairy Isle, who prophesies that he would surpass allRound Table knights save for two (presumablyGalahad and Lancelot) were it not for the destined sin of killing his mother. He later rescues Gawain andMorholt after defeating his envious elder brother Agravain in combat on two occasions, subsequently accompanying Morholt to Ireland.
Throughout the prose cycles, Gaheris participates in Arthur's wars and frequently accompanies Gawain on his adventures, in addition to undertaking quests of his own — such as rescuing KingBagdemagus. These episodes are retold in Malory'sLe Morte d'Arthur, where Gaheris (also renderedGaherys orGaheryes) initially serves as Gawain'ssquire, tempering his brother's anger, before being knighted. He later marriesLynette, sister of his younger brother Gareth's wife, Lyonors. TheLancelot andMort Artu sections of theLancelot-Grail differ in their portrayal of his relationship with Gawain: in theLancelot, Gareth is Gawain's most beloved brother, while in theMort Artu, it is Gaheris, whose death causes Gawain deep grief.[16]
In the Post-Vulgate tradition, including Malory's version, Gaheris participates in the revenge killing ofKing Pellinore, who slew King Lot. He later murders his mother,Queen Morgause, after discovering herin flagrante delicto withLamorak, Pellinore's son and one of Arthur's greatest knights. Lamorak escapes, but is later ambushed and killed by Gaheris and three of his brothers (excluding Gareth), an act condemned as cowardly and dishonourable. When Arthur learns that Gaheris killed Morgause, he banishes him from court. Gaheris narrowly avoids execution byMordred and Agravain through Gawain's intervention. After his exile, he joinsPerceval on the Grail Quest, having previously been rescued from captivity byPalamedes.
In theProseTristan, Gaheris is depicted as a friend and ally ofTristan, opposing the villainousKing Mark and compelling him to revoke Tristan's banishment from Cornwall. The Belarusian versionPovest' o Tryshchane [be] portrays him as Arthur's son, named Garnot.[17] In Malory's account, however, Gaheris despises Tristan for being favoured by Arthur, considering him an enemy. When Gaheris and Agravain attack Tristan, the Cornish knight denounces them and Gawain as "the greatest destroyers and murderers of good knights" before defeating them.[18]
His death during Lancelot's rescue ofGuinevere from execution is recounted in theMort Artu, the concluding section of the Vulgate and Post-Vulgate cycles.[19] While Gawain and Gareth refuse to take part in Mordred and Agravain's plot against Lancelot and Guinevere, Arthur commands the remaining brothers to guard the queen's execution. Gaheris and Gareth reluctantly comply, though Gawain declines. When Lancelot arrives to save Guinevere, he kills both brothers. In the VulgateMort Artu, Gaheris kills Meliadus the Black before having his helmet knocked off byHector de Maris, after which a sword strike by Lancelot splits his head in half. Their deaths drive Gawain into a vengeful rage, and the ensuing feud contributes to the downfall of Arthur's realm.
In the Post-Vulgate version of theMort Artu, a knight fromNorth Wales also named Gaheris takes the vacant Round Table seat that had belonged to Gaheris of Orkney following the latter's death. This 'new' Gaheris (Gaheres de Norgales) participates in the ensuing civil war, fighting on the side of Arthur and Gawain against the followers of Lancelot.
Adding to the confusion, there is alsoGaheris of Karaheu, another Knight of the Round Table. Both are entirely distinct from Gaheris, the brother of Gawain.[10]