The Twenty-Four Knights of Arthur's Court

The Twenty-Four Knights of Arthur's Court (in Welsh Pedwar marchog ar hugain llys Arthur) is a listing of King Arthur's twenty-four chief men, probably created in the mid-15th century according to Bromwich (p. cx). That Kay and Bedwyr are not listed among the 24 knights is one indication that this is a late composition.

This work is often included in late collections of the Welsh triads.

The list is divided into eight triads of knights, some of them from authentic Welsh tradition, and some mainly from French tales.

Knights

The knights listed are:

1. Three Golden Tongued Knights:
   1. Gwalchmai son of Llew son of Cynvarch
   2. Drudwas son of Tryffin
   3. Eliwlod son of Madoc ap Uthyr
2. Three Virgin Knights:
   1. Bwrt [Bohort] son of Bwrt [Bohort] King of Gascony
   2. Peredur son of Earl Efrog
   3. Galath [Galahad] son of Lanslod Lak [Lancelot]
3. Three Knights of Battle:
   1. Cadwr Earl of Cornwall
   2. Lanslod Lak [Lancelot]
   3. Ywain son of Urien Rheged
4. Three Enchanter Knights:
   1. Menw son of Teirgwaedd
   2. Trystan son of Tallwch
   3. Eddilig the Dwarf
5. Three Royal Knights:
   1. Nasiens [Nascien] the son of the King of Denmark
   2. Medrod son of Llew son of Cynfarch
   3. Hoel son of Emyr Llydaw
6. Three Just Knights:
   1. Blaes son of the Earl of Llychlin
   2. Cadog son of Gwynlliw the Bearded
   3. Pedrog Splintered-Spear, son of Clement Prince of Cornwall
7. Three Irresistible Knights:
   1. Morfran son of Tegid
   2. Sanddef Angel-face
   3. Glewlwyd Mighty-grasp
8. Three Counselor Knights:
   1. Cynon son of Clydno Eiddin
   2. Aron son of Cynfarch
   3. Llywarch the Old son of Elidir Lydanwyn

References

• Arthur and his Knights. [Out of an old Welsh MS in the possession of Angharad Llwyd.] (Trans.) (1846). Archaeologia Cambrensis, 1, 48–50.
  • Retrievable from http://www.archive.org/details/archaeologiacam03powegoog
• See Bromwich (2006, Appendix IV, pp. 266–9).
  • English translation retrievable from http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/celtic/ctexts/triads4.html