Acorde the Insolent
A Byzantine warrior who came from Constantinople to Britain and fought for Arthur against the traitor Angrs of Windsor.
Introduction#
Acorde the Insolent, also known as Licoridés, was one of the noble Byzantine warriors brought from Constantinople to Britain by the knight Alexander.
Affiliations | Alexander’s Greek Companions
Alternative Names | Licoridés
From Constantinople to Britain#
Acorde was among a company of noble warriors who accompanied Alexander from Constantinople to Britain. Their arrival illustrates the international dimension of Chrétien de Troyes’ romance Cligés, where knights and nobles travel between distant kingdoms and imperial courts.
The War Against Angrs#
After coming to Britain, Acorde joined Arthur’s campaign against Angrs of Windsor, a traitor who opposed the king’s authority. As one of the warriors fighting in Arthur’s host, Acorde helped defend the kingdom during the conflict.
A Knight of the Byzantine Tradition#
Unlike many Arthurian knights whose origins lie in Britain, Cornwall, or Gaul, Acorde belongs to the Byzantine setting that forms an important part of Cligés. His presence highlights the connections between the Arthurian world and the wider medieval imagination of the East.
Sources#
Cligés | Chrétien de Troyes, late 12th century
