| Palamedes (arthurian Legend) |
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Palamedes first appears in the '' Prose Tristan '', an early 13th Century prose expansion of the Tristan and Iseult legend. He is introduced as a knight fighting for Iseult's hand at a tournament in Ireland ; he ultimately loses to Tristan, to the delight of the princess. Tristan spares him but forbids him to bear arms for a year or to pursue Iseult's love ever again. After Iseult's wedding to King Mark , Palamedes rescues Iseult's servant Brangaine , joins the Round Table and engages in a number of duels with Tristan that are usually postponed or end without a clear winner. They eventually reconcile, but share a love-hate relationship through the rest of the narrative. Palamedes also appears in the who is sent to Rome where he saves the life of the Emperor ; he then travels to Britain where he rescues and befriends King Pellinore . Many tales also have Palamedes as the hunter of the Questing Beast , an abomination only the chosen can kill. The hunt is as frustuating and fruitless as the pursuit of Iseult, and in most versions remains uncompleted. However, in the Post-Vulgate Palamedes' conversion to Christianity during the Grail Quest allows him release from his worldly entanglements, and Percival and Galahad help him trap the beast in a lake, where he finally slays it. The Post-Vulgate and Malory have Palamedes and Safir joining Lancelot after the great knight's affair with Queen Guinevere is exposed; the brothers eventually accompany Lancelot to France , where Palamedes is made Duke of Provence . SEE ALSO |
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