King of the Hundred Knights, Roi des Cent Chevaliers
Aguigens, Aguignier, Aguigniez, Aguysans, Barant, Berrant le Apres, Heraut, Malaguin, Malaguins, Malaguis, Malauguin, Malaguins, Maleginis, Margon
He first appears in the Prose Lancelot, although Ulrich von Zatzikhoven mentions a king named Ritschart of Tumane, who is said to have 100 knights. The King’s actual name varies from story to story: Lancelot calls him Malaguin; the Third Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval gives him the name Margon; in the Prose Tristan, his proper name is Heraut (Herlan). Malory gives his name once as Berrant le Apres and once as Barant le Apres (the alternative spelling may be the result of the editor’s work), Malory also tells us that although his knights numbered only 100, but he kept them “extremely fine in appearance at all points”.
He pledged 4,000 mounted men of arms to the rebellion. Two knights before the battle of Bedegraine, this monarch
met a wonder dream ... that there blew a great wind, and blew down their castles and their towns, and after that came a water and bare it all away. All that heard of the sweven [dream] said it was a token of great battle.
A valiant and bold king who plagued Arthur at the beginning of Arthur’s reign. He was a “passing good man and young”.
Variously identified as the sovereign of Malehaut, Estrangorre, Guzilagne, Piacenza, or part of Logres. He acquitted himself well in the battle at Bedegraine – where Arthur was victorious – and did not join Lot’s later rebellion, going over to Arthur’s side instead and becoming a member of the Round Table.
He eventually allied with Arthur in order defeat the invading Saxons, and he participated in Arthur’s war against Rome. Later, however, he was conquered by lord Galehaut (Galeholt of Sorelois), and he joined Galehaut’s war against Arthur. When Arthur and Galehaut forged a truce, the King again submitted to Arthur’s rule and became a Knight of the Round Table.
He had a son named Maranz and a daughter named Landoine, both of whom were saved from a pack of robbers by Sir Bors. He loved the Queen of North Wales and Isolde. The Italian I Due Tristani says that he came from Piacenza and he married Riccarda, Galehaut’s sister. La Tavola Ritonda describes his death at the battle of Lerline, fighting alongside King Amoroldo of Ireland.
Vulgate II gives his country, or perhaps his city, as Malahaut, suggesting the Lady of Malohaut may have been his vice-regent or vassal. He had a son named Marant and a daughter named Landoine, and was an ally of Duke Galeholt, one of the two allies Galeholt loved and trusted most. He seems to be one of the more important minor characters.
Pondering on his title and on the fact that he must have had many more than a hundred knights at his command, I wonder if this monarch might not have kept a table something like Arthur’s, perhaps even round, which seated a hundred. Since Arthur had got the Round Table from King Leodegrance, who had got it from Uther Pendragon, the King of the Hundred Knights would have had Uther’s or Leodegrance’s example for such a table.
See also
Aguysans | The Legend of King Arthur
Sources
Lancelot do Lac | 1215-1220
Vulgate Lancelot | 1215-1230
Vulgate Merlin | 1220-1235
Prose Tristan | 1230-1240
La Tavola Ritonda | 1325–1350
I Due Tristani | 1555
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470