Thomas Kengal Nobility

The essence of nobility possessed by a King, Queen, and Knight is possible one of the most crucial attributes of significant figures during the era of Sir Thomas Malory. Malory himself was ostensibly a member of nobility, and originally one of his own inspirations to become an author. However, as noble as he was Mallory himself was accused of various crimes ranging from ambush to rape during his life, he died in jail. The nobility in Sir Thomas Malory’s time was a characteristic of superiority and authority, much like in the tales Mallory transcribed Nobility in Mallory’s era was more of a way of life, rather than a quality of character. The stated modern dictionary definition of nobility would be that of; “The state or quality of being exalted
in character.” However I would believe the definition in Mallory’s time to be slightly of a different nature. Most subjects were born into nobility, based off their family history and actions. There was even a full anarchy system based of nobility and the privileged occupations that would follow including dukes, duchesses, marquises and marchionesses, earls, countesses, viscounts, viscountesses, barons and baronesses”
Most subjects displaying the qualities of nobility are a sanction of a social group and a status state. Generally heraldically born into the position, those who display noble qualities are generally given the responsibility and privileges of leadership through roles such as Kings, Queens, and duke’s ex. ex. A population or colony of people would most definitely want their leader to hold noble attributes, as they are responsible for the protection, governing, and welfare of their people. However there are other figures in the time of Sir Tomas Mallory besides that of Kings Queens, and duke’s ex. ex. That represents excellent examples of nobility; such people would include Knights in shining armor” whose nobility lies for their king and lord. The knight forms and oath with their lord at the time of knighthood, they must protect, serve, and defend, to their last breath even if it cost them their life. Without the nobility the knights hold for their king, a King would be but a man, with no authority or power over their kingdom and position. However in most scenarios nobility has been a two way street. For a Knight to hold nobility to his master, his master must be an example of nobility. Or the consequence being the knight will have a botched example to follow most likely resulting in betrayal or dismay.
There are other figures also in the time of sir Tomas Mallory that display such attributed if nobility. Such as Mallory himself for example, he was elected into the English parliament in 1443 and spread his artwork through stories such as King Author and the Holy Grail.
Sir Thomas Mallory as well wished to spread his plain of enlightenment, through books, stories, and myths.
Primarily his most legendry and successful accomplishment in his lifetime would be that of the “Story of King Author”. Mallory displayed the ripe characteristic of nobility time and time again throughout his book, through his protagonist, to the holy mission he would complete of finding the Holy Grail. King Author; who was obliviously the protagonist of the story, displayed powerful acts of nobility throughout the tale, such as King Arthur’s formation of the Round Table. The creation of the Round Table presented untold amounts of nobility as no single figure could sit at the head of the table. In King Arthur’s eyes everyone sitting at the round table was equal. This displays an almost perfect example of Arthurs (and Mallory’s) powerful
nobility.
However, in Sir Tomas Mallory’s tales King Arthur was not the only character to display any type of nobility. There was Sir Lucan one of the most loyal and trusted of the Knights of the Round Table to King Author and proved time and time again his indispensably. He and his colleges are among some of Arthur's earliest allies in the fight against the rebellious kings, and remained a companion to author throughout his life. However Sir Lucan was slain by his wounds from his encounter with lord Mordred, after he removed wounded king Arthurs from the battle field. These actions displayed by Sir Lucan are an almost perfect illustration of nobility, in Mallory’s writing as well as a prime example of how nobility would have been displayed by actual knights to their lord in sir Mallory’s time. A knight would defend their lord at all cost, and stay by their side until their very end, and would hold no regrets in sacrificing themselves for their king. There was also the notorious Sir Launcelot one of the most infamous “Knights of the Round Table” besides Arthur himself of course.
Sir Launcelot was one of the most highly held and honored knights of the round table and would play a major role in the life of king Arthur and the Knights of the round table. In one of Launcelot most early careers he is forced to encounter the Dolorous Guard, in Launcelot quest he must first battle and defeat ten knights at the first tower. As he precedes Sir Launcelot is encountered with another ten knights at the seconds tower, he cunningly and swiftly defeats them all. Launcelot is then faced with but one task; to defeat the copper knight at the third tower. However as Launcelot approaches he learns that the copper knight has fled in terror, and he is now the King and lord of the Dolorous Guard. Upon this quest the Sir Launcelot completed, it was an excellent example of nobility portrayed in Sir Tomas Mallory’s stories, and of how the real knights in Mallory’s time displayed noble actions. For a Knight to be noble, he must hold a strong persistence characteristic, such as the characteristic portrayed by that of sir Launcelot in his quest. Most likely the task and orders given to a knight by his king and lord are not going to be of an easy nature. So if a Knight of a lord is to be noble they must do the actions requested of them, even if it is a difficult mission that requires much
persistence. Sir Launcelot was one of the only knights to stay by Arthur’s side unto the end of the quest to find the Holy Grail. He was by far one of King Arthur’s closest knights and one of the only knights to ever lay eyes on the Holy Grail. However Sir Launcelot felt as if he wasn’t worthy to even see the Holy Grail for more than a split second it is instead his son, Galahad, who chooses the correct grail to drink from and completes the quest. This again displays nobility for the Knight Sir Launcelot as his humbleness to the Holy Grail is a prime example of nobility used in Mallory’s tales. For a character in a position of nobility such as a knight humbleness is one of the most important attributes they can hold,