Sir Tor
Encyclopedia
Sir Tor is a Knight of the Round Table according to Arthurian legend. He appears frequently in Arthurian literature.
In earlier mentions Tor's father is King Ars or Aries, but the Post-Vulgate Cycle
and Sir Thomas Malory
's Le Morte d'Arthur
say this man is his adoptive father while his natural father is King Pellinore. In these versions, he is brother to Sir Aglovale
, Sir Lamorak
, Sir Dornar, Sir Percival
, and Dindrane
. He is born when Pellinore sleeps with his mother "half by force", and she marries Aries shortly afterward; here Aries is not a king, but a shepherd
. Tor and his twelve half-brothers are raised as shepherds, but Tor dreams of being a knight
. Finally his parents take him to Arthur
's court, and Arthur makes the boy one of his first knights. Later Merlin
reveals Tor's true parentage, and Pellinore embraces his son. Neither Aries nor his wife seem offended.
Tor distinguishes himself at the wedding feast of Arthur and Guinevere
when he takes up a quest to retrieve a mysterious white brachet
hound that had come into the court. According to Malory Tor and his brother Aglovale are among the knights charged with defending the execution of Guinevere; they both die when Lancelot
and his men rescue the queen.
In earlier mentions Tor's father is King Ars or Aries, but the Post-Vulgate Cycle
Post-Vulgate Cycle
The Post-Vulgate Cycle is one of the major Old French prose cycles of Arthurian literature. It is essentially a rehandling of the earlier Vulgate Cycle , with much left out and much added, including characters and scenes from the Prose Tristan.The Post-Vulgate, written probably between 1230 and...
and Sir Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
's Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur
Le Morte d'Arthur is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of Romance tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table...
say this man is his adoptive father while his natural father is King Pellinore. In these versions, he is brother to Sir Aglovale
Aglovale
Sir Aglovale de Galis is the eldest legitimate son of King Pellinore in the Arthurian legend. Like his brothers Sir Tor, Sir Lamorak, Sir Dornar and Sir Percival, he is a Knight of the Round Table. In romance, Aglovale never cuts as impressive a figure as his brothers Lamorak and Percival, but his...
, Sir Lamorak
Lamorak
Lamorak is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He is the son of King Pellinore and the brother of Tor, Aglovale, Percival, the Grail maiden Dindrane and sometimes others....
, Sir Dornar, Sir Percival
Percival
Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. In Welsh literature his story is allotted to the historical Peredur...
, and Dindrane
Dindrane
In Arthurian Legend, Dindrane is the sister of Percival. Though she is frequently not given a name, Percival's sister is a major character in many of the Holy Grail stories and is sometimes claimed as the "Grail heroine"....
. He is born when Pellinore sleeps with his mother "half by force", and she marries Aries shortly afterward; here Aries is not a king, but a shepherd
Shepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
. Tor and his twelve half-brothers are raised as shepherds, but Tor dreams of being a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
. Finally his parents take him to Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's court, and Arthur makes the boy one of his first knights. Later Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
reveals Tor's true parentage, and Pellinore embraces his son. Neither Aries nor his wife seem offended.
Tor distinguishes himself at the wedding feast of Arthur and Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
when he takes up a quest to retrieve a mysterious white brachet
Scent hound
Scent hounds are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. The Scenthound breeds are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among canines....
hound that had come into the court. According to Malory Tor and his brother Aglovale are among the knights charged with defending the execution of Guinevere; they both die when Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
and his men rescue the queen.