Gawain (470-537), also known as Gwalchmai, was High Chief of Gododdin from 490 to 510, succeeding King Lot and preceding Bran Hen. He was known as a formidable, courteous, and compassionate knight in the service of King Arthur, and he was nicknamed "the Maidens' Knight" for his protection of women. Gawain was slain in a duel with his former friend Lancelot while trying to avenge Lancelot's murder of his brothers Gaheris and Gareth.
Biography[]
A young Gawain
Gawain was bron in 470, the son of King Lot of Gododdin and his wife Morgause, making him the nephew of King Arthur and the half-brother of Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth, and Mordred. As a knight in his uncle's service, he was said to have accepted the Green Knight's challenge to behead him and then be beheaded by the Green Knight in a year and a day's time, and, after the knight was beheaded with a clean strike by Gawain, he picked up his head and rode off. The knight then told Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel, and Gawain made his way to the castle of Bertilak de Hautdesert for his next challenge. Bertilak told Gawain he would give Gawain he caught in his daily hunts in exchange for Gawain giving him whatever he gained during the day. Gawain wisely refused the lord's wife's seductive advances, apart from a kiss on the first day, two kisses on the second day, and three kisses on the third day, which Gawain returned to the lord. However, the wife gave him a green girdle to remember her by on the day of his death, and Gawain did not tell the lord of this. The next day, he met the Green Knight, who twice pretended to strike his neck before lightly striking him a third time, leaving only a slight wound. He then told Gawain that he had failed the test, and revealed himsef to be Bertilak; the entire adventure had been a trick of the ugly hag Gawain had earlier seen at the castle, who was really Morgan le Fay in disguise. She had hoped to test Arthur's knights and frighten her rival Guinevere to death, and the knight and Gawain parted on cordial terms. Gawain brought the green girdle back as a token of his failure, but Arthur and the other knights forgave him and let him wear the sash as a reminder to always be honest.
Gawain became High Chief of Gododdin in 490, reigning until 510, when he abdicated in favor of Bran Hen; he instead focused on continuing to loyally serve Arthur. His brothers Gareth and Gaheris were killed by Lancelot in 537 when Lancelot rescued Guinevere from being burned at the stake for adultery with Lancelot, causing Gawain to swear vengeance. Gawain joined Arthur in pursuing Gawain and Guinevere to France, only to be slain after a long duel with Lancelot.