NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Persides the Red

Persides le Rous, Persedes of Gazewilte

The lord of the castle Gazewilte.

He married the wondrously beautiful Elaine Sans Per against the wishes of his family and hers. His uncle chastised him and told him he had abandoned his knighthood because of Elaine and had humiliated himself. Elaine said that she, too, had given up the admiration of others for the sake of Persides – and that her shame was greater because she was more beautiful than Persides was valiant. Persides, angry, locked Elaine in a tower and told her she would stay there until a more beautiful lady or a more valiant knight showed up, settling the matter.

She spent five years in prison, until her sister, looking for Gawain, found Hector of the Fens, brother of Lancelot, and fetched him instead. Hector defeated Persides and sent him and Helen to Guenevere.


Sources
Lancelot do Lac | 1215-1220
Vulgate Lancelot | 1215-1230