Sir Morien the Moor - The Great Black Knight of King Arthur's Court

Moriaen (also spelled Moriaan, Morien) is a 13th-century Arthurian romance in Middle Dutch. A 4,720-line version is preserved in the vast Lancelot-Compilatie, and a short fragment exists at the Royal Library at Brussels. The work tells the story of Morien, the Moorish son of Aglovale, one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. #SirMorien

The romance begins with the story of Morien's conception. While searching for Lancelot thirteen years prior, Aglovale had travelled through the Moorish lands and fallen in love with a beautiful princess. They pledged their betrothal, but refusing to abandon his quest before Lancelot was located, Aglovale left the country before they could marry. He left her pregnant with his son Morien, who would grow into a tall, handsome youth "black of face and limb." Of his prowess, the romance says that Sir Morien's "blows were so mighty; did a spear fly towards him, to harm him, it troubled him no whit, but he smote it in twain as if it were a reed; naught might endure before him." Of his dress, it says that "his shield and his armor were even those of a Moor, and black as a raven." #ArthurianLegend

The narrative proper begins years later, as Morien seeks his father, he and his mother having been disinherited from their lands. The action takes place just prior to the quest for the Holy Grail, and the knights Lancelot and Gawain are out searching for Percival, a new knight and the brother of Aglovale. After Morien tells his story to Lancelot and Gawain, who promise to help him find his father, the knights go on a series of adventures showcasing their talents. In the end father and son are reunited, and Aglovale travels to the land of the Moors to marry his lover and win back her rightful lands.

The author tries to synchronize the romance with episodes from Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval, the Story of the Grail and the Lancelot-Grail. He or she notes at the beginning that some versions of the story have Percival himself as Morien's father, but decides to follow convention that Percival died a virgin. The circumstances of Sir Morien's birth are similar to Gahmuret and Belacane's conception of Feirefiz in Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival; like the Lancelot-Compilatie, Parzival is also based on an earlier version of the Grail story. In this case, Gahmuret is Parzival's father, making the half-Saracen Fierefiz the Grail knight's brother rather than his nephew or son. #BlackHistoryMonth

[urbnctrl]

The proper pronunciation today would be Morian (Like Dorian). He is a part of our Dutch cultural history in Pre-colonial times and came to be a sort of celebrated hero figure too in time a saint and the equivalent of a Medieval superhero like the other knights of the round table. The songs and stories would teach medieval children and adults about the Moors and morality towards them. There have been many Moors that have visited, lived and started families in the Netherlands throughout history. Since the Netherlands was historically a refuge for refugees of any sort, political, ethnic or religious. Moors came to over time not only signify black folks from the south but also signify the mixed black people that were a result of intermarriage and the likes (Like Morian). A famous portrait from one of our legendary painters Rembrandt is called "the Two Moors" and depicted two of Rembrandts neighbors at the time, obviously, they were black (1655). Fun fact: the European name Maurice also originates from the same thing, like Moriaen / Moriaan it was used as a name for those from often mixed families. And it meant "From Mauretania" which was roughly the area that is now Morocco and the Southern regions of it - a name already present in genealogical records of the Netherlands since the year 1100 AD and mentions even earlier in other forms.

[adrianaslund]

It's funny that they featured a black guy and made him a sassy shit talker. I imagine him as quick on his feet with a rounded shield, north african lamellar armour, a saber and a mace. With a pointed Helmet with chainmail covering his face. Pretty cool image.

[Meroublood]

Why is there no show(or maybe a game) about this story, I swear I just heard AN AMAZING screenplay right here!❤❤

[Enriqueguiones]

So many great unknown great characters!!

[bernardputersznit]

just wow - your knowledge of the sources and the way to tell it with such gusto is marvelous - thank you

[HenryKobyla]

Very cool story. I had never heard of this one before, but it was very entertaining.

[carinasmirnoff]

This was very entertaining. I loved this video, story was great, and it was all very entertaining. Thanks for this.

[calvoncbrownjr]

That was amazing thank you so very much!

[stargatefan]

Great video. Loved the detail, abd the narrative style. Have you ever considered just doing the standalone stories for videos like this?

[Tjalt-EvertvanderKaakbokkert]

Can you make a video of St. Procopius? The founder of the Sasau Monastery

[alexanderlove]

Hey could you do king lot?

Love the video

[RoyalDelux]

I know plenty of guys with a Morian attitude. Fists first, answers later. 😅

[maxcambridge]

Why isn't this character, not having a movie made about him, just saying ‼️

[jussiecinematics]

I've always been told that according to the Dooms day book and my family history that my great great ansester or what ever was the black knight of tbe round table my name starts with Mor

[truthlight]

Are there anymore documented black and or African knights. For a larp project.

[DarkKing]

can you due Saint Derfel Gadarn!!! a was a 6th-century Celtic Christian monk regarded as a saint. Local legend holds that he was a warrior of King Arthur.

[y.v.n.gvidsstuff]

i make this vow one day i will make this a cartoon but with anime like animation called the .The Greatest knights in all the realms. were each knight Especially poc knights will get love and praise and also author because author is amazing But it will also show the descrimination between the ppl but also show the love and faith essentially love will kick racism butt .

[memir]

The Moors were so called Black Africans . So, why are all the cartoon creators all Caucasian looking ? I did like the story of Morien the Christian converted Muur. At this point he would have been called a Morisco ? If, I am not mistaken ??

[thirsty]

I thought there wasn’t black moors tho lol