Josephus of Arimathea
Josephus, also called Josephe or Josephes, is the son of
When Joseph's followers reach Britain, Josephus becomes the island's spiritual leader while his brother Galahad (ancestor to the more famous knight Galahad) takes charge of the secular duties. Before he dies, Josephus passes the Grail to his nephew Alan and announces the quest for the object that will eventually preoccupy King Arthur and his court.
Josephus was not a popular character with later authors. This is partially due to confusion between his and his father's names, which occurs even in some manuscripts of the Lancelot-Grail.[citation needed] Most subsequent writers preferred Joseph's earlier role as Britain's first evangelizer, and some, for instance Thomas Malory, apply some of Josephus' actions from the Estoire to Joseph.
References
- ^ Lacy, Norris J. (editor). Lancelot-Grail: The Old French Arthurian Vulgate and Post-Vulgate Cycles in Translation, volumes I and IV.
- ISBN 9781555178239. Retrieved 5 August 2012.