# Master Lionel Tressilian — The Sea Hawk character guide > Master Lionel Tressilian in The Sea Hawk by Rafael Sabatini. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Lionel, Master Tressilian, Lionel Tressilian **First appearance:** 0003-i-the-huckster ## Snapshot Oliver's half-brother, a man of brittle courage and poisoned tongue whose treachery sets the whole tragedy in motion and whose cowardice is matched only by his spite. ## Who they are Lionel Tressilian shares blood with Oliver but none of his strength, a man whose first instinct under threat is to strike at those closest to him. When cornered, he lashes out with the cruelest weapon he has, the accusation that Oliver's mother was a wanton, and he crumbles the moment stronger hands seize him. His betrayal is the wound that never closes, and his presence in the story is a constant reminder that the worst enemies are often the ones who share your name. ## Relationships ### [Sir Oliver Tressilian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sir_oliver_tressilian) _family_ Lionel is Oliver's younger brother, bound by blood but strained by jealousy and betrayal. ### [Sakr-el-Bahr](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sakr_el_bahr) _rivalry_ Lionel fears and hates Sakr-el-Bahr, unaware that he is his brother Oliver transformed. ### [Sir John Killigrew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sir_john_killigrew) _rivalry_ Lionel and Sir John are rivals for Rosamund's affection and for control of the Tressilian estate. ### [Jasper Leigh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/jasper_leigh) _professional_ Jasper Leigh interacts with Lionel as a subordinate and occasional messenger, with little personal warmth. ### [Sir Oliver Tressilian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sir_oliver_tressilian) _family_ Lionel is Oliver's younger brother, bound by blood but strained by jealousy and betrayal. ### [Sir Oliver Tressilian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sir_oliver_tressilian) _family_ Lionel is Oliver's younger brother, bound by blood but strained by jealousy and betrayal. ### [Sakr-el-Bahr](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sakr_el_bahr) _rivalry_ Lionel fears and hates Sakr-el-Bahr, unaware that he is his brother Oliver transformed. ### [Sir John Killigrew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sir_john_killigrew) _rivalry_ Lionel and Sir John are rivals for Rosamund's affection and for control of the Tressilian estate. ### [Sir John Killigrew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sir_john_killigrew) _rivalry_ Lionel and Sir John are rivals for Rosamund's affection and for control of the Tressilian estate. ### [Jasper Leigh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/jasper_leigh) _professional_ Jasper Leigh interacts with Lionel as a subordinate and occasional messenger, with little personal warmth. ### [Sakr-el-Bahr](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/sakr_el_bahr) _rivalry_ Lionel fears and hates Sakr-el-Bahr, unaware that he is his brother Oliver transformed. ### [Jasper Leigh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/jasper_leigh) _professional_ Jasper Leigh interacts with Lionel as a subordinate and occasional messenger, with little personal warmth. ## In the story ### [The Sea Hawk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/the-sea-hawk) Sir Oliver's treacherous half-brother who betrays him. ### [II: Rosamund](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/ii-rosamund) Worries about Oliver's confrontation with Sir John, struggles with selfish thoughts about inheriting, and is reassured by Nick. ### [III: The Forge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/iii-the-forge) Mentioned as headstrong; Oliver refrains from interfering in Lionel's affair with the siren of Malpas. ### [IV: The Intervener](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/iv-the-intervener) Wounded in a duel with Peter Godolphin, whom he killed; confesses the cause to Oliver. ### [The Buckler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/v-the-buckler) The actual killer of Peter Godolphin, he is terrified of being discovered and suffers from fever and sleeplessness. Sir Oliver protects him by taking the blame. ### [VI: Jasper Leigh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/vi-jasper-leigh) Consumed by guilt and fear, Lionel plots against his brother Oliver, hiring Jasper Leigh to prevent Oliver from revealing the truth. ### [VII: Trepanned](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/vii-trepanned) Lionel orchestrates the kidnapping of his brother, wrestling with guilt and fear, and later feigns ignorance of Sir Oliver's fate. ### [VIII: The Spaniard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/viii-the-spaniard) Revealed as the one who paid to have Sir Oliver kidnapped and sold into slavery. ### [II: The Renegade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/ii-the-renegade) Oliver's half-brother, the dastard who framed Oliver for murder and is now hated by him. ### [IV: The Raid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/iv-the-raid) Captured by his brother Oliver during the raid. His courtship of Rosamund and support for Sir John's port project are detailed. ### [The Slave Market](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/x-the-slave-market) Lionel is stripped, examined, and sold cheaply to Ali for the galleys. ### [XI: The Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xi-the-truth) Forced to confess to killing Peter Godolphin in a fair fight, he is humiliated and threatened with enslavement by Sakr-el-Bahr. ### [The Voyage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xv-the-voyage) Chained as a slave, he has been whipped and is tormented by Oliver's taunts about Rosamund. ### [XX: The Messenger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xx-the-messenger) Fakes an attack on Sakr-el-Bahr and is thrown overboard, then swims to deliver a message. ### [XXI: Moriturus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xxi-moriturus) Mentioned as having swum to Sir John's ship to deliver a message. ### [XXIII: The Heathen Creed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xxiii-the-heathen-creed) Reported killed by Jasper Leigh during the fight; Sir Oliver reflects that he may have sought death to avoid the rope. ### [The Advocate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xxv-the-advocate) Accused posthumously by Rosamund of murder and kidnapping; his admission is cited. ### [XXVI: The Judgement](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/chapters/xxvi-the-judgement) Confesses to killing Peter Godolphin and kidnapping Oliver, then dies reconciled with his brother. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters/master_lionel_tressilian - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_sea_hawk_se/characters