Who is the toughest knight?

[Sir Fauntleroy]

Sir Tristram, Sir Launcelot, Sir Gallahad, La Cote Mal Tailliée or Sir
Gawain?

My vote goes to Sir Tristram, due to countless epic battles that always
lasted for weeks and ended up with the opponent "hacked to bits" like so
much ghouls and ghosts. Also, he was from Cornwall if I am not mistaken?

[w***@hotmail.com]

Post by Sir Fauntleroy
Sir Tristram, Sir Launcelot, Sir Gallahad, La Cote Mal Tailliée or Sir
Gawain?
My vote goes to Sir Tristram, due to countless epic battles that always
lasted for weeks and ended up with the opponent "hacked to bits" like so
much ghouls and ghosts. Also, he was from Cornwall if I am not

mistaken?

Sorry, but that cannot go unchallenged. (Not the Cornwall part -- the
"toughest knight" ranking.) If -- as all right-thinking Arthurians --
we take Malory as the ultimate authority, then it's crystal clear. The
big three were Lancelot, Tristram and Lamorak of Wales, but Lancelot
was ultimately the undisputed champ.

Sir Gawain? Strictly a middleweight, despite the solar knight
rigamarole. Sir Galahad? Succeeded in the Grail quest because of his
spiritual purity, but not to be taken seriously as a fighter. La Cote
Mal Taile? Puh-leeze.

Pugnaciously yours
Ian

[Sir Fauntleroy]

Post by w***@hotmail.com
Pugnaciously yours
Ian

No need to be pugnacious, Sir. I was just trying to stimulate conversation.

Lamorak? What did he do beyond his feat at Sir Gareth's wedding festivities?
And perhaps a few minor victories in Cornwall where all the knights were
weak anyway?

Gawain - The only knight brave enough to take on Sir Bertilak.

While I agree that Malory is cannon, I prefer to view him as a journlist of
sorts - one who presents the evidence. Just because it was his assessment
that Launcelot was the greatest, does not mean that I have to agree with him
in light of the evidence presented. That was his take on the evidence. The
evidence is not in dispute, the assessment is. Do not forget that Tristram
encountered Launcelot (confusing him for Palomedes) and they had a four hour
battle which is presented as a draw, both men yeilding and then kissing each
other all over. Since their battle was a draw, we have to revert back to
their overall records in battle. Tristram's record, I find, is impeccable.

La Cote Mal Tailliée I threw in as a joke. That guy was laughable.

[w***@hotmail.com]

Fair enough, let's accept your definition of Malory as a journalist
(kind of the proto-editor of Ring Magazine?). Lamorak doesn't figure
largely in much of the "Morte" -- leaving aside little incidents such
as that unfortunate escapade with Gawain's mum. But in the long
(Vinaver) Book V, which is heavily concerned with jousting, he is
consistently presented as part of the Big Three on the fight circuit,
along with Tristram and Lancelot.

I grant your point about Tristram's lengthy draw, and its endearing
homo-erotic upshot. But Tristram's career as a fighter was
comparatively short, given that unfortunate business with Mark and his
missus, so I really think you have to go with Lancelot in terms of
overall achievements.

And Sir Bertilak? Sir Bertilak?? Oh, sir, that's a fairy-tale, and
mustn't be brought into the realm of FACT.

[Sir Fauntleroy]

Post by w***@hotmail.com
Fair enough, let's accept your definition of Malory as a journalist
(kind of the proto-editor of Ring Magazine?). Lamorak doesn't figure
largely in much of the "Morte" -- leaving aside little incidents such
as that unfortunate escapade with Gawain's mum. But in the long
(Vinaver) Book V, which is heavily concerned with jousting, he is
consistently presented as part of the Big Three on the fight circuit,
along with Tristram and Lancelot.
I grant your point about Tristram's lengthy draw, and its endearing
homo-erotic upshot. But Tristram's career as a fighter was
comparatively short, given that unfortunate business with Mark and his
missus, so I really think you have to go with Lancelot in terms of
overall achievements.
And Sir Bertilak? Sir Bertilak?? Oh, sir, that's a fairy-tale, and
mustn't be brought into the realm of FACT.

I thought the whole business with Bertilak coming anonymously in green was
malory? am i mistaken?

[xargon]

Lancelot takes the cake for toughest knight, due to the length of his
career. Tristram was possibly his equal, but lacked the duration.
Lamorak was always one of my favorite characters, but I can't come up with
a good justification for being the absolute toughest.

Galahad was the BEST knight in the world, due to his purity and selection
for achieving the Grail quest. But best isn't the same as toughest.

[PAUL GADZIKOWSKI]

Sir Fauntleroy <***@tough.knight> wrote:
: I thought the whole business with Bertilak coming anonymously in green was
: malory? am i mistaken?

The green knight story isn't from Malory. It's a separate work from an
unknown poet.


Paul Gadzikowski, ***@iglou.com since 1995
http://members.iglou.com/scarfman/new.htm Fanfiction stories and cartoons.
http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com New cartoons daily.

"One of these days, Ozzel - pow! Straight to the moon."

[Ian Weir]

To get pedantic, the Gawain-poet was actually a hugely important poet
whose real name just happens to be unknown. ("Unknown poet" as a term
of description just seems somehow more applicable to an author of
greeting cards, or something...)

Ian

[Debs]

And did not Gareth fight Lancelot to a draw before he ever met with the
rainbow of knights in his tale?

Besides, he never committerd adultry with his lord's wife, like Tris
and Lance. He never a slew a woman like his bro, Gawain. Or his mom,
like his other bro, Gaheris. And he put up with Lynette's savage
tongue without killing her. So, I still say, Gareth is pretty darn
tough. And beats 'em all hands down!

Fun thread!

Debra Kemp
http://www.telltalepress.com/debrakemp.html
The House of Pendragon I: The Firebrand
2005 EPPIE finalist (historical fiction)
2003 Dream Realm Award finalist
http://amberquill.com/Firebrand.html