Gliglois

Gawaine’s squire and later a Knight of the Round Table, in a thirteenth-century French romance bearing his name. The son of a German nobleman, he came to Arthur’s court at Caridoel (Cardueil) and presented himself to Gawaine, who immediately accepted him as a squire. He was praised highly for his service, skill, and knowledge.

He soon fell in love with the lady Beauté of Landemore, a maid of Guenevere who was also loved by Gawaine. Torn between loyalty to his master and love for Beauté, he finally confessed his feelings to the maiden, but she rebuked him. Persistent, he followed Beauté and a knight named Aharer to the Castle Orgueilleux (Orguelleus) tournament, running behind their horses until his feet bled.

Beauté, who was showing excessive cruelty towards him, finally dispatched him to her sister at Landemore with a sealed message. Upon delivering the message to Beauté’s sister, Gliglois learned that Beauté in fact loved him, and had wanted to test his devotion.

He was knighted at Landemore and then sent to fight in the tournament on his steed, Ferrant. He was proclaimed the victor at Orgueilleux, and Beauté awarded him her love. Gawaine graciously relinquished his own claim on Beauté, resolving Gliglois’s conflict.