Greatest 12 Characters Between 1200-1399

Who is on this list, what this list is about and how they got on the list!

Synopsis

This is one of a set of lists I made showing a progression of the greatest characters in a heroic style throughout time. Focusing for the most part on one decade at a time. The heroes that we know and love today were inspired by heroes before them. Some are even real people who moved into folklore. Before comics there were pulp magazines. Before that there was dime novels and before that was the penny dreadfuls. There were many others as well like Gothic novels, story papers and yes even a real novel.  

The List 

 This is a list of the greatest characters who first appeared in print between 1200-1399.  These would be characters who will go on to be the biggest influences in comics either directly or indirectly.  In other words these will become great inspirations to future comic characters and stories. Right now they are in order of year.  

New Stuff

Well here we are with another list.  This time instead of making it a decade long list.  I made it a three century long list.  Unfortunately I was still unable to fill it.  There were a few I wanted to add but they did not have a character page yet.  My assumption is that they have just not been added.  I am sure they are out there I just haven't found them.  It would be great if you could help me on this one.  Just let me know if I am missing someone.

Here is the past list

Greatest 12 Characters Between 1000-1199 

Here is the next list   

Greatest 12 Characters Between 1400-1599

List items

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  1. Sir Galahad

  Sir Galahad is one of the Knights of the Round Table. He is the knightly version of Jesus. He is also the son of Lancelot. His first appearance is in Sir Lancelot also known as The Lancelot-Grail, the Prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, and the Pseudo-Map Cycle. The work is divided into five sections. the first three were written in the 1210s.

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  2. Sir Tristan

  Sir Tristan is one of the most romantic characters of all times. Not only that there was a time where there was no dispute. His origin goes back to Celtic Folklore but none of the stories exist The oldest known appearance is in Prose Tristan. The first part of the book was written between 1230 and 1235.

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  3. King Pellinore

  King Pellinore is known for his unending quest. He also defeated King Arthur in a joust contest and broke Excalibur. The Post-Vulgate, written probably between 1230 and 1240.

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  5. Dante Alighieri

  Dante is either divinely inspired, has a big ego or both. After all he puts himself in his own book the Divine Comedy that was finished when he died in 1321. It is one of the preeminent works in literature.

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  6. Sir Gawain

  Sir Gawain would become the greatest Knight at the Round Table. He first made his name fighting the Green Knight. He first appears in the White Book of Rhydderch in 1325.

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  7. Queen Guinevere

  Queen Guinevere's relationship with King Arthur and Lancealot has inspired story tellers for centuries. She first appears in the White Book of Rhydderch in 1325.

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  8. The Pied Piper

  The Pied Piper goes back to the middle ages. He was known to lure children away from a village that wouldn't pay him. There are many accounts of what he did with the children from drowning them to being a pedophile. There are even historical accounts of the story being taken from historical events like a Children's Crusade among others. There is fantastic speculation as to the origin of the story. The first known recorder account is from the Decan Lude chorus book in 1384. Unfortunately the book no longer exists.

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  9. The Green Knight

  The Green very powerful figure in Arthurian Legend. He is even beheaded and not killed from it by Gawain. He is also all green. This is everything, clothe, armour, hair and even skin. He first appears in the late 14th century in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.