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{{Short description|Legendary Arthurian knight}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2019}}
{{redirect|Bedwyr|other people with the name|Bedwyr (given name)}}
{{Infobox character
| name             = Bedivere
| series           = [[Matter of Britain]]
| image            = File:King Arthur Sir Bedivere throwing Excalibur into the lake by Walter Crane.jpg
| caption          = Sir Bedivere throwing [[Excalibur]] into the lake. Illustration by [[Walter Crane]] (1845)
| first            = ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]''
| based_on         = [[#Bedwyr|Bedwyr Bedrydant]]
| occupation       = [[Knights of the Round Table|Knight of the Round Table]]
| title            = Sir
| family           = [[Sir Lucan|Lucan]], [[Griflet]]
}}
'''Bedivere''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɛ|d|ᵻ|v|ɪər}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|iː|d|ᵻ|v|ɪər}}; {{langx|cy|Bedwyr}}; {{langx|la|Beduerus}}; {{langx|fr|link=no|Bédoier}}, also '''Bedevere''' and other spellings) is one of the earliest characters to be featured in the legend of [[King Arthur]], originally described in several Welsh texts as the one-handed great warrior named '''Bedwyr Bedrydant'''. Arthurian chivalric romances, inspired by his portrayal in the chronicle ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'',  portray Bedivere as a [[Knights of the Round Table|Knight of the Round Table]] of [[King Arthur]] who serves as Arthur's [[marshal]] and is frequently associated with his brother [[Sir Lucan|Lucan]] and his cousin [[Griflet]] as well as with [[Sir Kay|Kay]]. In the English versions, Bedivere notably assumes Griflet's hitherto traditional role from French romances as the one who eventually returns [[Excalibur]] to the [[Lady of the Lake]] after [[Battle of Camlann|Arthur's last battle]].

== Bedwyr ==
In early Welsh sources, Bedwyr Bedrydant ("Bedwyr of the Perfect Sinew"<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dn11DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA234|title=King Arthur: The Making of the Legend|last=Higham|first=Nicholas J.|date=20 November 2018|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=9780300240863|language=en}}</ref>) is a handsome, one-handed warrior under [[King Arthur|Arthur]]'s command. His father is given as Pedrawd or Bedrawd, and his children as Amhren and Eneuawg, both members of Arthur's court.

One of the earliest direct references to Bedwyr can be found in the 10th-century poem ''[[Pa gur]]'' which recounts the exploits of a number of Arthur's men, including Bedwyr, Cei ([[Sir Kay|Kay]]) and [[Manawydan]]. Of Bedwyr, this narrative says:

{{Quote|They fell by the hundred / before Bedwyr of the Perfect-Sinew.<br>
On the shores of Tryfrwyd / fighting with [[Gwrgi Garwlwyd|Garwlwyd]] / furious was his nature / with sword and shield.<ref name="Pa Gur">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110723202344/http://www.markadderley.net/arthur/welsh-arthur/pagur.html ''Pa Gur'']}}</ref>}}

The 9th-century version of ''[[Englynion y Beddau]]'' ("The Stanzas of the Graves") gives Bedwyr's final resting place on [[Tryfan]].<ref name="Pa Gur"/> In the hagiography of [[Cadoc]], Bedwyr is alongside Arthur and Cei in dealing with King [[Gwynllyw]] of [[Gwynllwg]]'s abduction of [[Gwladys]] from her father's court in [[Brycheiniog]]. A possible allusion to Bedwyr could be found in the reference to Bedwyr's well in the 9th-century ''Marwnad Cadwallon ap Cadfan''. The [[Welsh Triads]] name Bedwyr as "Battle-Diademed", and a superior to Drystan ([[Tristan]]), [[Hueil mab Caw]] and even Cei.<ref>Bromwich, Rachel. ''Trioedd Ynys Prydein''.</ref> A catchphrase often quipped by Cei, "by the hand of my friend" is possibly a reference to Bedwyr's disability.<ref>Davies, Sioned. ''The Mabinogion''. Oxford University Press, 2005.</ref>

Bedwyr is a prominent character in the tale of ''[[Culhwch and Olwen]]'', in which he appears at the head of Arthur's court list with his friend Cei and is described as one of the most handsome men in the world (save for Arthur and Drych fab Cibddar), and is the wielder of a magical spear with the ability to separate the tip of the shaft to attack and that all the wounds caused by the spear were equal to nine wounds.<ref>S. Davies trans., ''The Mabinogion'' (Oxford 2007) p. 189-90.</ref> He is called upon to accompany [[Culhwch]] on his quest to win [[Olwen]]'s hand in marriage and is the first to strike the giant [[Ysbaddaden]] with the poisoned spear meant for Culhwch. Bedwyr goes on to assist Culhwch in completing the impossible tasks given to him by Ysbaddaden; he helps Cei and [[Goreu fab Custennin]] kill Wrnach the Giant, rescues [[Mabon ap Modron]] from his imprisonment, retrieves the hairs of Dillus the Bearded, captures the [[Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain|Cauldron of Diwrnach]] during Arthur's raid on Ireland, and takes part in the hunting of the monstrous boar [[Twrch Trwyth]] with Arthur's dog [[Cavall]] at his side.<ref>S. Davies trans., ''The Mabinogion'' (Oxford 2007) p. 193 and p. 205-10.</ref> The tale ends with the completion of the tasks, the humiliation and death of Ysbaddaden, and the marriage of Culhwch and Olwen.

== Bedivere ==
Bedivere is one of Arthur's loyal allies in [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'' and maintains this position in much later Arthurian literature. He helps Arthur and [[Sir Kay|Kay]] fight the Giant of [[Mont Saint-Michel]], and joins Arthur in his war against [[Lucius Tiberius|Emperor Lucius of Rome]], in which he dies fighting.<ref>L Thorpe trans, ''History of the Kings of Britain'' (Penguin 1966) p. 238-40 and p. 252</ref> In [[Thomas Malory]]'s ''[[Le Morte d'Arthur]]'', 'Bedwyr' (as he is initially known) plays a similar role against the Giant, before disappearing from the text to return rather ingloriously as Sir Bedivere to accompany Arthur at his end.<ref>H Cooper ed, ''Le Morte Darthur'' (Oxford 2008) p. 88, p. 539 and p. 511-15.</ref> In the original French romances, the later role belonged to his cousin, [[Griflet]].

[[File:Sir Bedivere put King Arthur gently into the barge.png|thumb|[[William Henry Margetson]]'s illustration for ''Legends of King Arthur and His Knights'' by Janet MacDonald (1914): "Sir Bedivere put King Arthur gently into the barge."]]

In several English versions of Arthur's death, including Malory's, the [[Alliterative Morte Arthure|Alliterative ''Morte Arthure'']] and the [[Stanzaic Morte Arthur|Stanzaic ''Morte Arthur'']], Bedivere and Arthur are among the few survivors of the [[Battle of Camlann]] (or of [[Salisbury]]). After the battle, at the request of the mortally wounded king, Bedivere casts away the sword [[Excalibur]] that Arthur had received from the [[Lady of the Lake]]. However, he does this only after twice thinking the sword too valuable to Britain to throw into the water.<ref>H Cooper ed, ''Le Morte Darthur'' (Oxford 2008) p. 514-5</ref> When he reports that nothing in particular happened, King Arthur admonishes him, for Arthur knows that the mystical sword would create some supernatural event. Finally, Bedivere casts the sword into the water, at which a hand arises and catches the sword mid-air, then sinks into the waters, and Arthur is thus assured that the sword has been returned. In Malory's telling, this act summons [[Morgan le Fay|Morgan]] and [[Nimue]], who take the king to [[Avalon]]. Upon the presumed death of Arthur, Bedivere enters a [[hermitage (religious retreat)|hermitage]] led by the [[Mordred]]-ousted [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], where he spends the remainder of his life. There he will be joined by Lancelot and some of his kindred knights, who will resort to it in their own penitence.

==Modern fiction==
Some modern authors such as [[Rosemary Sutcliff]] (''[[Sword at Sunset]]''), [[Gillian Bradshaw]] (''[[Hawk of May]]''), and [[Mary Stewart (novelist)|Mary Stewart]] (''The Merlin Trilogy'') give him [[Lancelot]]'s traditional role as Guinevere's lover, Lancelot having been added to the cycle too late to seem historical.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hf6zAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA34|title=The New Arthurian Encyclopedia: New edition|last1=Lacy|first1=Norris J.|last2=Ashe|first2=Geoffrey|last3=Ihle|first3=Sandra Ness|last4=Kalinke|first4=Marianne E.|last5=Thompson|first5=Raymond H.|date=5 September 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136606335|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/text/interview-with-mary-stewart|title=Interview with Mary Stewart {{!}} Robbins Library Digital Projects|website=d.lib.rochester.edu|access-date=5 February 2019}}</ref> 

*In the 1975 comedy film ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]'', the ironically-named Sir Bedevere the Wise (played by [[Terry Jones]]) is regarded as brilliant at science by other characters, but his methods revolve around absurd theories such as the Earth being banana-shaped and witches burning and floating on water because they are made of wood. He devises a [[Trojan Horse]] styled scheme with a big wooden rabbit to get inside a French fortress, but overlooks the crucial detail of Arthur and the knights actually being inside it. He is also adorned in a comically large, cylindrical helmet with a gate-like visor that he frequently lifts throughout the film.
*In [[John Boorman]]'s 1981 film [[Excalibur (film)|''Excalibur'']], [[Percival]] replaces Bedivere as the knight that returns the sword to the Lady of the Lake.
*Bedivere is the main character in the 1994 novel ''Grailblazers'' by [[Tom Holt]].
*Although he plays a minor part in [[Bernard Cornwell]]'s ''[[The Warlord Chronicles]]'', many of his legendary deeds (such as throwing Excalibur into the lake; or in Cornwell's story, the sea) are carried out instead by the protagonist, [[Saint Derfel|Derfel Cadarn]]. Derfel too loses one of his hands and then fights one-armed during the final act of ''[[Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur]]'' (1997).
*He appears in [[Philip Reeve]]'s 2007 ''[[Here Lies Arthur]]'' as Bedwyr and befriends the main character Gwyn. He is Arthur's half-sister's younger son, the older being Medrawt (Mordred). He is murdered by Arthur, for betrayal with Arthur's wife, [[Gwenhwyfar]] (Guinevere), in a similar role to the later Lancelot. This causes a family rift with Medrawt, who takes revenge by raising an army and attacking Arthur, killing him, and taking the city of [[Aquae Sulis]] (ruled by Arthur) for himself.
*Sir Bedivere has a cameo in the 2008 BBC series ''[[Merlin (2008 TV series)|Merlin]]'' in the episode "Le Morte d'Arthur", in which he is killed by the [[Questing Beast]].
*Bedivere appears in the video game and visual novel ''[[Fate/stay night]]'' in an epilogue, during the game's version of Artoria's death. He also appears in the mobile game ''[[Fate/Grand Order]]'' as a character summonable by the protagonist, notably from a version of the Arthurian tale where he fails in delivering Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake, inadvertently stopping King Arthur from going to Avalon. In the anime adaptation by [[Studio Deen]], the character is voiced by [[Mamiko Noto]], a female voice actress and is thus interpreted by some to be female.
*Bedivere appears as the final boss of the Avalonian Dungeon in the MMORPG ''[[Albion Online]]'' as "Lord Bedivere".
*In [[Guy Ritchie]]'s 2017 film ''[[King Arthur: Legend of the Sword]]'', [[Djimon Hounsou]] plays Sir Bedivere, the leader of the resistance and a former knight of Uther.
* Bedivere features as one of the main characters of [[Lev Grossman]]'s 2024 novel ''[[The Bright Sword]]'', where he is Arthur's closest companion and secretly in love with Arthur.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/theme/bedivere.html Bedivere] at The Camelot Project

{{Arthurian Legend}}
{{Celtic mythology (Welsh)}}
{{Geoffrey of Monmouth}}

[[Category:Arthurian characters]]
[[Category:Celtic mythology]]
[[Category:Fictional hermits]]
[[Category:Knights of the Round Table]]