| Black Knight | |
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Real Name |
Unknown |
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First Appearance |
European Folklore |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
The black knight is a literary stock character who masks his identity and that of his liege by not displaying heraldry. Black knights are usually portrayed as villainous figures who use this anonymity for misdeeds. They are often contrasted with the knight-errant (white knight). The character appeared in Arthurian literature and has been adapted and adopted by various authors, in cinema and popular culture. The character is sometimes associated with death or darkness.
In Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory: "There sat a knight all armed in black harness, and his name was the Knight of the Black Laund. Then the damosel, when she saw that knight, she bade him flee down that valley, for his horse was not saddled. Gramercy, said Beaumains, for always ye would have me a coward. With that the Black Knight, when she came nigh him, spake and said, Damosel, have ye brought this knight of King Arthur to be your champion? Nay, fair knight, said she, this is but a kitchen knave that was fed in King Arthur's kitchen for alms. Why cometh he, said the knight, in such array? it is shame that he beareth you company. "
Another example would be in Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott: Richard the Lionhearted poses as an unknown black knight to avoid detection while in England, fighting alongside Ivanhoe in a tournament and helping the assault on Front-de-Boeuf's castle.
In addition in The Maid of Orleans by Friedrich Schiller (1801). The Black Knight appears as a wraith to warn Joan of Arc to cease her campaign to liberate France. Schiller himself offered the interpretation that it represented the ghost of Sir John Talbot.
Historical Black Knights include:
- Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine. The eldest son of King Edward III, father to King Richard II of England, was a military leader remembered for both his success and the massacres he ordered, popularly known as the "Black Prince".
- James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn, a descendant of Robert I of Scotland, lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
- Knights Hospitaller, distinguished by their black mantles.
- Zawisza the Black of Garbów also known as "the Black Knight" or "First knight of Europe", was a Polish knight and nobleman. He served as a soldier and diplomat under the Polish king Władysław II Jagiello and Hungarian-Bohemian king Sigismund of Luxembourg. During his life, he was regarded as a model of knightly virtues and was renowned for winning multiple tournaments in Europe. His nickname is due to his black hair and his custom-made, black armor, which is kept at the Jasna Góra Monastery.
- Sir Ralph de Ashton was an officer of state under Edward IV of England
- Knight of Glin, also known as the "Black Knight", from the Fitzgerald dynasty of Ireland.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of the Black Knight from before Janury 1, 1929 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances include:
- Le Morte d'Arthur
- Ivanhoe
- The Maid of Orleans
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Captain Flash #2, 4: Conrad Krueger was one of the most brilliant scientists in the world, and an authority on knighthood and the medieval ages. However, he was eventually sent to a state mental institution due to his dangerous obsession with the idea of conquering the world. After escaping the institution, he formed a gang, and armed them with scientifically advanced weapons becoming the Black Knight. He was eventually defeated by Captain Flash.
- The Black Knight #1: Sir Robert, the Black Knight was a rich man before he left for the crusades, but when he returned to England, he found himself a pauper, pawning the souvenirs he had collected during his adventures. He eventually became a mercenary knight, fighting in feudal battles.
- Black Knight (1963 series) #11: Reprint of the stories from The Black Knight #1 originally published by Toby.
- Zip Comics #1-5: Steel Sterling fought a Black Knight who was a villain with a mountain top castle armed with archers, gangsters, rabbit-sized rats, and trap doors.
- The Funnies #47-62:The Black Knight was once a simple young smithy, who saved his king from an assassination plot, and was secretly knighted for it. As a knight, he hid his identity with a mask, but loyaly served King Victor of England.
- Thrilling Adventures in Stamps Comics #5: This issue includes a tale of Charlemagne and the Black Knight based on the stamp Belgium Charlemagne 1946 Scott #8427 1FR+50C Violet.
- Adventures into the Unknown #29: Barry Inwood is, along with the family lawyer, the only one at his grandfather's funeral. His grandfather's will has conditions for Barry's inheritance. Those conditions result in the Legion of Ghost Monsters whose members included the Black Knight, Bluebeard, Jack the Ripper, Captain Kidd, Sir Modred, and Dracula.
- Jingle Jangle Comics #2: In Adventures in Chessville, Hortense dreams of going to Chessland with the Black Knight, but returns with the White Knight.
- Super Duck #2: Super Duck imagines he's in the Court of King Arthur, facing the Black Knight in combat.
- Little Max Comics #33, 73: In issue 33, Joe Palooka reads a story which Max has written. A young boy (Max) goes to seek his fortune in the big forest, but before leaving, his father gives him a magic backpack that will fill itself with whatever its owner asks. Max uses it to rescue a princess (Alice) from the evil Black Knight. This story is reprinted in issue 73 as well.
- Bob Colt #3: Western hero Bob Colt encounters a group of armored bandits who stole suits of armor and weapons that were being delivered to the Texas Art Museum. The crooks led by the Black Knight of the Prairie had reinforced their armor to resit bullets but were eventually stopped by Colt.
- Prize Comics #56, 68:
- In issue 56,the Black Knight challenges Sir Prize to a jousting match after accusing the knight of stealing one of his horses
- In issue 68, Endowed with magic by a good fairy, Wishing Willie became famous for defeating villains and giants earning him the attention of the Black Knight who framed Willie for the adduction of the Princess. Willie eventually clears his good name by defeating the knight and saving the princess.
- Weird Mysteries #8: A broken man who's tired of being bullied by his brutish wife goes for a walk one night and encounters a witch. She offers to change him into anything he wants and warns him not to tell anyone about her. He asks to be turned into a powerful black knight so he can kill his wife. After the deed is done, he's upset about not getting credit for the murder and tells the police what happened. They don't believe him, but since he ratted on the witch, she turns him into a rat before their eyes. The rat is then hung for the murder of the wife.
- Four Color Comics #809: Walt Scott's Little People are sent back to the days of Chivalry when the Old One makes a wish with a magic wand. They rescue a damsel in distress from the Black Knights.
- More Fun Comics #13-17, 23: Adapted from the Sir Walter Scott novel Ivanhoe which features the Black Knight.
- Fairy Tale Parade #7: Adapted from the Hungarian fairy tale the Brave Prince this story featured the Black Knight.
- Wilbur Comics #30: Wilbur dreams he is a knight in days of old. He imagined the Black Knight as Slats Morgan.
- Robin Hood Tales #1: Robin Hood faced the Black Knight of Castle Fury.
- Witches Tales #22: Mother Mongoose's Nursery Crimes featured a knight garbed in black bests all enemies, but he also has no head.
- Famous Funnies #11: Featured a text story titled The Black Knight Dies Hard.
Public Domain Television Appearances[]
The Black Knight of Pluto is an alien knight from the dwarf planet. While his origins are unknown, he has often devised plans to defeat Colonel Bleep, Squeak, and Scratch but usually fails when his enemies outsmart the culprit.
He appeared in the following episodes:
- A Windy Knight (1957)
- Dangerous Holiday (1957)
- Test of Friendship (1957) (flashback)
- Winner Take All (1957)
- The Wicked Web (1957)
- The Treacherous Trio (1957)
- The Hypnotic Helmets (1957)
- Knight of Death (1957)