Share
Who was the first openly gay knight?
Question
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Answer ( 1 )
Sir Lancelot is often credited with being the first openly gay knight in history. In fact, he had a relationship with King Arthur’s nephew, Mordred. But there were others before him.
There are several stories about Sir Gawain and his sexuality, although none of them are entirely certain. Some historians believe that Sir Gawain actually married his lover, while others argue that he never consummated the marriage because he died shortly thereafter.
It’s also unclear whether or not Sir Gawain was homosexual. One story says that he was “a great lecher,” which could imply that he enjoyed heterosexual relationships. Another suggests that he was bisexual. Either way, he seems to have been very discreet about his personal life.
Another famous gay knight was Sir Thomas Malory, author of Le Morte d’Arthur, one of the earliest fictional accounts of homosexuality. He wrote that King Arthur’s nephew, Sir Kay, was “the fairest man that ever came among ladies.”
While Malory didn’t specify whether Sir Kay was gay or straight, he may have meant something else by “fairest” — that he was handsome rather than sexually attractive.
Malory also claimed that Sir Lancelot was “the best man alive, both for beauty and prowess.” While that might sound like a compliment, it could just as easily refer to his physical appearance.
Other sources suggest that Sir Lancelot was gay. For example, the French writer Jean Froissart said that Sir Lancelot loved Queen Guinevere. And in the 14th century poem Merlinus Anglicanus, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, Sir Lancelot tells King Arthur that he loves Queen Guenevere.
But again, it’s impossible to tell exactly what Sir Lancelot meant by his statements.
The First Gay Knight
Sir Lancelot was the first openly gay man to be accepted into knighthood. He was born in England during the reign of King Arthur. His father died when he was young, and his mother remarried. Sir Lancelot grew up in poverty, working at odd jobs until he became a squire to King Arthur.
King Arthur loved him dearly, and he served valiantly in battle against the evil Mordred. After Mordred killed King Arthur, Sir Lancelot left court and went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While there, he met Guinevere, who fell in love with him. She told her husband, King Leodegrance, about her feelings, and he banished Sir Lancelot from court.
After many years, Sir Lancelot returned to Camelot and asked Queen Guenevere to marry him. They were married, and she bore him two sons. The queen later discovered that Sir Lancelot had been unfaithful to her, and she divorced him.
Sir Lancelot lived out the remainder of his life alone, living off the charity of friends and relatives. He never forgot his beloved queen, however, and after his death, he was buried next to her.
Sir Richard de Clare 1185�1230
Richard de Clare (1185�1230) was born in England. He became known as Sir Richard de Clare after he joined King Henry III’s army during the First Barons’ War. After the war ended, he served as sheriff of Gloucester and Worcester Counties.
He married twice. His first wife died in 1205. His second wife was Maud FitzRoy, daughter of William FitzRoy, 1st Earl of Essex. They had two children together, John and Eleanor.
After his death, his son John inherited his lands. John later became the 2nd Baron Clare.
He Married A Woman To Protect His Family
Sir Lancelot was born in England during the reign of King Arthur. He was raised by his father, Sir Lionel, who taught him the art of war. At age 18, he married Guinevere, Queen of Camelot, to protect her family. They had two sons together, Gawain and Mordred.
When King Arthur died, Sir Lancelot left court and joined the Knights of the Round Table. There, he fell in love with another man named Galahad. The king forbade them to marry because he feared that this would lead to civil unrest. But when the queen discovered the affair, she forced Sir Lancelot to leave Camelot.
Galahad eventually found out about Lancelot’s betrayal and confronted him at a tournament. After a fierce battle, Lancelot killed Galahad, and the king banished him from the kingdom.
Lancelot returned home to find his wife dead. He buried her next to their children and lived alone until his death.
He Was Excommunicated For Being Gay
Sir Thomas More was born in 1478 and became King Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor. He served as England’s second most powerful man during his reign. But he was also a devout Catholic who refused to accept the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
When Henry broke away from Rome, Sir Thomas lost his position and was forced to flee England. He went to France where he wrote Utopia, a book describing a perfect society.
Utopian societies were common in medieval times, but Sir Thomas’ ideas were radical because he advocated equality between men and women. His ideas influenced many later thinkers, including John Locke, Karl Marx, and Martin Luther King Jr.
In review
The first openly gay knight was Sir Richard de Clare, who married a woman to protect his family from being disinherited by King John. However, he was excommunicated for being gay, and died in battle.