NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Eliezier

Three entries with the name Eliezier.


Eliezier

Eliezer, Elyazar, Elyezer

The son of King Pelles of Corbenic, brother of Elaine and maternal uncle of Galahad.

As a youth, Eliezier left his homeland, Listenois, for Logres, to help in King Arthur’s struggle against the invading Saxons. He joined a party of youths led by Gawaine. Eliezier served as Gawaine’s squire and he barks at taking Gawaine’s challenge to Lancelot in the war of vengeance for the deaths of Gawaine and Gaheris. The squire tells him that,

A wrong cause often makes a good knight blunder, while a right one transforms an indifferent knight into a hero.

Either this is a case of squire rebellion, a suggestion that squires are not the subservient ciphers they sometimes seem to be considered, or an indication that Gawaine’s squire, like Tristram’s (Tristan) squire Gouvernail, may be a special case. The specific squire in Vulgate is left unnamed, but for the sake of convenience he is identified with Eliezier.

He was eventually knighted by Gawaine and Eliezier fought in several battles against the Saxons, including their defeat at Clarence. Later, he carried the broken pieces of the Grail Sword. During the Grail Quest, Eliezier held a tournament against a lord named Argustus. Lancelot came upon the tournament in a progress, and joined Argustus’s side, as they were losing. Argustus’s knights were sinful, however, and Lancelot was defeated. Eliezier was at Corbenic (Carbonek) when Galahad completed the Grail Quest. Later, he supported Lancelot in the wars against Arthur.

He is an important character in Vulgate.


Sources
Vulgate Lancelot | 1215-1230
Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal | 1215-1230
Vulgate Mort Artu | 1215-1230
Vita di Merlino con le Sue Profetie | c. 1480
Le Livre d’Artus | Early 13th century
Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin | 1230-1240
Post-Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal | 1230-1240
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470


Eliezier

Eliezer

Son of Evelake.


Eliezier

Eleazer, Eleizer, Eliezer, Elizer, Elizier, Elyezer, Helie, Helieser, Heliezer, Helisier, Helizer, Helyes, Helyezer, Helyser

A pagan king in Britain, converted to Christianity by Joseph of Arimathea. He left his kingdom in the Scottish borderlands to wander the country, dedicating himself to holy deeds. After thirty years of this asceticism, God appeared to him in a dream and told him to return to his kingdom and live a life of splendor.

Joining his son, Lanvalet (Lenvarlet), he returned. An abbey in his lands, called the Small Charity, where he had received help, was later visited by Lancelot.


See also
Macabres | The Legend of King Arthur
La Petite Aumosne | The Legend of King Arthur


Source
Vulgate Lancelot | 1215-1230