Guiron the Courteous

Girone, Guron, Gurone, Gyron

Hero of the French Palamedes. A peerless knight, he was descended from King Clovis of France on the side of his father (Fragus) and from Joseph of Arimathea on his mother’s side. R. S. Loomis thought that his character came from Gwyron in the Mabinogion tales. He ruled castle Green Wood.

He was an ally of Tristan’s father Meliadus, whom he aided in a war against Scotland. According to La Tavola Ritonda, he became an enemy of the Round Table after suffering disgrace at Uther Pendragon’s court: a lady whom he had abducted from Gariosso of Maganza lied to Uther, saying that Gariosso had stolen her from Guiron. Uther had Guiron dragged around the fields of Urbano from a cart, as was the punishment for cuckolds.

Guiron loved the Lady of Malehaut, who happened to be married to Danain the Red, Guiron’s best friend. When she was entrusted to Guiron’s care, he nearly had an affair with her, but some noble words written on his sword (which had belonged to Hector the Brown) shamed him to the point of near suicide. In revenge for Guiron’s intentions, Danain abducted Bloie, Guiron’s amie. Guiron rescued her and reconciled with Danain when Danain saved him from a knight named Helin. Guiron and Bloie were later imprisoned by a wicked lord named Galinan. Bloie died in the prison after giving birth to Guiron’s son, whom Galinan raised and named after himself, called Galinan or Calinan. Lancelot eventually freed Guiron from the prison.

In another adventure, he was imprisoned by the giant called Nabon the Black until rescued by Tristan. The Fountain of Guiron the Courteous commemorated Guiron’s rescue of King Arthur from the giant Hebusan. After many other adventures, Guiron retired to the tomb of Febus, his renowned ancestor, where he died.