Sir Bedevere

Bedivere
Matter of Britain character
Sir Bedivere throwing Excalibur into the lake. Illustration by Walter Crane (1845)
Information
Occupation	Knight of the Round Table
Title	Sir
Family	Lucan, Griflet

In the Matter of Britain, Sir Bedivere (/ˈbɛdɪvɪər/ or /ˈbiːdɪvɪər/; Welsh: Bedwyr; French: Bédoier, also spelt Bedevere) is the Knight of the Round Table of King Arthur who returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. He serves as Arthur's marshal and is frequently associated with Sir Kay. Sir Lucan is his brother and Sir Griflet is his cousin.

Bedivere is one of the earliest characters to be associated with the Matter of Britain, appearing in a number of early Welsh texts in which he is named as Bedwyr Bedrydant ("Bedwyr of the Perfect Sinews"), a handsome, one-handed knight under 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 knights, including Bedwyr, Cei and Manawydan. Of Bedwyr, the narrative says: