# Merlin — Le Morte d’Arthur character guide > Merlin in Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** the Archbishop of Canterbury by Merlin's providence **First appearance:** 0003-book-i ## Snapshot The prophet who steers Arthur's early reign with counsel, craft, and a taste for testing kings with choices they do not understand. ## Who they are Merlin moves through the early court as the architect of Arthur's fortune, advising him to let Pellinore pass and foretelling the sister Arthur will one day wed. He reveals the false damosel's treachery and the true cause of her coming, showing that his knowledge reaches into every corner of the realm's intrigues. His lesson about the scabbard being worth ten swords marks him as a counselor who values survival over show, even when his king does not. ## Relationships ### [King Arthur](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/characters/king_arthur) _professional_ Merlin serves as Arthur's wise counselor and prophet, guiding his rise to power. ### [King Arthur](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/characters/king_arthur) _professional_ Merlin serves as Arthur's wise counselor and prophet, guiding his rise to power. ## In the story ### [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/book-i) Arranges Arthur's birth and upbringing, guides Arthur's rise to power, advises the young king, arranges the sword in the stone test. ### [How Uther Pendragon Sent for the Duke of Cornwall and Igraine His Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/i) Appears disguised as a beggar and offers to help Uther in exchange for a promise. ### [How Uther Pendragon Made War on the Duke of Cornwall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/ii) Arranges the deception, demands the child Arthur be delivered to him, and orchestrates the king's disguise. ### [Of the Birth of King Arthur and of His Nurture](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/iii) Merlin orchestrates the plan for Arthur's birth and fostering, advising Uther to entrust the child to Sir Ector and personally delivering the infant to him. ### [Of the death of King Uther Pendragon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/iv) Merlin advises the king to go to battle despite his sickness and later orchestrates the public declaration of Arthur's succession. ### [How Arthur was chosen king, and of wonders and marvels of a sword taken out of a stone by the said Arthur.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/v) Merlin advises the Archbishop to summon the lords and gentlemen to London for the miracle of the sword. ### [How King Arthur Pulled Out the Sword Divers Times](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/vi) Arranges for Arthur's fostering and later provides counsel through the Archbishop. ### [How King Arthur was crowned, and how he made officers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/vii) Implied through the Archbishop's role in the coronation; the Archbishop is mentioned as the one at the altar. ### [How King Arthur held in Wales, at a Pentecost, a great feast, and what kings and lords came to his feast.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/viii) Arrives at Carlion, reveals Arthur's true parentage to the kings, and arranges a safe meeting between Arthur and the kings. ### [Of the first war that King Arthur had, and how he won the field](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/ix) Advises Arthur to hold back Excalibur until needed, warns the rebel kings, and counsels Arthur not to pursue. ### [King Arthur Seeks Alliance with Kings Ban and Bors](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/x) Advises Arthur to seek alliance with Kings Ban and Bors against the six kings. ### [Of a great tourney made by King Arthur and the two kings Ban and Bors, and how they went over the sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xi) Advises the kings, carries the token to Ban and Bors's men, and arranges the secret landing of the host. ### [Of a dream of the King with the Hundred Knights](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xiii) Advises Arthur to send fore-riders and later to launch a surprise night attack on the enemy camp. ### [How the eleven kings with their host fought against Arthur and his host, and many great feats of the war](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xiv) Devises the ambush strategy for the three kings, advising King Ban and King Bors to hide their forces. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xvii) Ends the battle by advising Arthur to withdraw; visits his master Bleise to record the battle; returns disguised to Arthur and reveals hidden treasure. ### [How King Arthur, King Ban, and King Bors rescued King Leodegrance, and other incidents](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xviii) Prophesies that the eleven kings will die in a day by Balin and Balan, and that Arthur will later aid King Ban and King Bors. ### [How King Pellinore Took Arthur's Horse and Followed the Questing Beast, and How Merlin Met with Arthur](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xx) Merlin appears in two forms—first as a child of fourteen, then as an old man of fourscore—to reveal Arthur's lineage and foretell his doom. ### [How Ulfius impeached Queen Igraine, Arthur’s mother, of treason; and how a knight came and desired to have the death of his master revenged.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxi) Reveals the truth of Arthur's parentage and confirms Igraine's account. ### [How Griflet was made knight, and jousted with a knight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxii) Merlin advises Arthur, warning of the danger Griflet faces against the knight at the fountain. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxiii) Chased by three churls but saved by Arthur; warns Arthur that he is near his death. ### [How Merlin saved Arthur’s life, and threw an enchantment on King Pellinore and made him to sleep](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxiv) Merlin casts an enchantment on King Pellinore to save Arthur and reveals prophecies about Pellinore and Arthur's son. ### [How Arthur by the mean of Merlin gat Excalibur his sword of the Lady of the Lake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxv) Guides Arthur to the Lady of the Lake and Excalibur; uses craft to hide Arthur from Sir Pellinore. ### [How all the children were sent for that were born on May-day, and how Mordred was saved](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xxvii) Prophesies that Arthur's destroyer would be born on May-day, prompting the king's decree. ### [How Merlin told the adventure of this damosel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/iv) Arrives at court and reveals the damosel's falsehood and her motive for bringing the sword. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/viii) Prophesies the battle between Launcelot and Tristram, and warns Balin of the dolorous stroke. ### [How Balin and his brother, by the counsel of Merlin, took King Rience and brought him to King Arthur](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/ix) Merlin orchestrates the ambush, guides the brothers, and later reveals their identities to Arthur, also foretelling Balin's tragic fate. ### [The Battle Against Nero and King Lot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/x) Deceives King Lot with a prophecy to delay him, ensuring Arthur's victory and preferring Lot's death over Arthur's. ### [Of the interment of twelve kings, and of the prophecy of Merlin, and how Balin should give the dolorous stroke](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xi) Crafts the golden images by subtle craft and delivers prophecies about the Sangreal, Balin's dolorous stroke, and the Battle of Salisbury. ### [How Balin was delivered by Merlin, and saved a knight that would have slain himself for love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xvi) Appears to rescue Balin, provides a horse, and reveals the fate of the damosel and King Pellam. ### [The Tomb of Balin and the Prophecy of the Sword](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xix) Arranges the burial, inscribes the tomb, enchants Balin's sword, and prophesies its future wielders. ### [Book III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/book-iii) Advises Arthur and arranges the marriage to Guenever. ### [How King Arthur Took a Wife and Wedded Guenever](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/i) Merlin advises Arthur and warns him covertly about Guenever and Launcelot. ### [How the Knights of the Round Table were ordained and their sieges blessed by the Bishop of Canterbury](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/ii) Tasked with finding fifty knights of prowess; finds twenty-eight and reveals their names in golden letters on the sieges. ### [How a poor man riding upon a lean mare desired King Arthur to make his son knight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/iii) Reveals Tor's true parentage as the son of King Pellinore. ### [How Sir Tor was known for son of King Pellinore, and how Gawaine was made knight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/iv) Explains the significance of the empty sieges and the Siege Perilous, and designates Pellinore's place. ### [The Wedding of King Arthur and Queen Guenever](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/v) Arranges the seating and assigns the quests to Gawaine, Tor, and Pellinore. ### [How four knights fought against Gawaine and Gaheris](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/viii) Desires that Gawaine be sworn to tell all his adventures and how he slew the lady. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xi) Advises the king and queen and prophesies Sir Tor's future nobility and prowess. ### [How on the way he heard two knights, as he lay by night in a valley, and of their adventures.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xiv) Mentioned as one who knows all things by devil's craft, feared by the conspirators. ### [The Quest of the White Hart and the Penance of King Pellinore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/xv) Reveals the tragic truth about the lady and the knight, and delivers a prophecy of Pellinore's future distress. ### [Book IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/book-iv) Prophesies Arthur's death, advises alliances with Kings Ban and Bors, and warns Arthur about Guenever's love for Launcelot. ### [How Merlin was assotted and doted on one of the ladies of the lake, and how he was shut in a rock under a stone and there died.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/i) Falls in love with Nimue, prophesies his own death and Launcelot's future, and is trapped under a stone. ### [How Sir Tor was made knight of the Round Table, and how Bagdemagus was displeased](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/v) Imprisoned under a stone by the Lady of the Lake; Bagdemagus hears his lament but cannot free him. ### [How the Stepmother of Sir Tristram Had Ordained Poison for to Have Poisoned Sir Tristram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/ii) Merlin delivers King Meliodas from prison on the morn after Queen Elizabeth's death. ### [How Merlin Likened the Round Table to the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/ii) Ordaigns the Round Table and the Siege Perilous, prophesies the three white bulls who will achieve the Sangreal. ### [How Sir Mordred presumed and took on him to be King of England, and would have married the queen, his father’s wife.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/chapters/i) Not directly present, but the Bishop of Canterbury is described as a noble clerk and holy man, acting in a prophetic role. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/characters/merlin - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/le_morte_d_arthur_se/characters