Le Morte d’Arthur · Chapter
The Battle Against the Eleven Kings explained
King Arthur, alongside Kings Ban and Bors, engages in a fierce battle against the eleven rebel kings.
What happens
King Arthur, alongside Kings Ban and Bors, engages in a fierce battle against the eleven rebel kings. The fighting is brutal, with heavy losses on both sides. King Lot advises the eleven kings to abandon their footmen and fight as a united cavalry. King Ban enters the fray with devastating force, slaying many knights. King Arthur, covered in blood, provides a horse to King Ban after his is killed. Despite the carnage, the eleven kings hold their ground, retreating to a wood at nightfall, earning the reluctant admiration of Arthur and his allies.
Themes in this chapter
Kingship and Governance
Arthur leads his allies against rebel kings, demonstrating the challenges of maintaining authority and the necessity of military strength.
Violence and Vengeance
The battle is marked by extreme violence, with graphic descriptions of slaughter and King Ban vowing revenge for his losses.
Honor and Reputation
The eleven kings are praised as 'men of great worship' even by their enemies, highlighting the value placed on martial honor.
Characters to notice
- King Arthur
Fights fiercely in the battle, becomes covered in blood and brains, and provides a horse to King Ban.
- King Ban
Allied with Arthur, fights with great prowess, slays many knights, and receives a horse from Arthur after his own is killed.
- King Bors of Gaul
Fights alongside Arthur and King Ban, praised for his prowess.
- King Lot of Lothian
Leads the eleven kings, advises them to abandon footmen and fight as cavalry, weeps at the slaughter caused by King Ban.
- King Carados of Scotland
One of the eleven kings, agrees to King Lot's plan.
- King Rience
Implied as one of the eleven kings opposing Arthur.
Key passages
“Ah, Sir Arthur, said King Ban and King Bors, blame them not, for they do as good men ought to do. For by my faith, said King Ban, they are the best fighting men, and knights of most prowess, that ever I saw or heard speak of, and those eleven kings are men of great worship; and if they were longing unto you there were no king under the heaven had such eleven knights, and of such worship.”
King Ban and King Bors tell Arthur not to fault the eleven kings, as they fight bravely and are among the best knights they have ever seen, suggesting that if they were Arthur's allies, he would be unmatched.
Shows the respect even enemies can earn through valor.
“When King Ban came into the battle, he came in so fiercely that the strokes redounded again from the wood and the water; wherefore King Lot wept for pity and dole that he saw so many good knights take their end.”
King Ban attacked with such ferocity that his blows echoed off the trees and water, causing King Lot to weep in sorrow at the death of so many noble knights.
Highlights the emotional impact of the battle on both sides.