the War with Rience of North Wales

   In some regards, we can almost make this a continuation of the rebellion of the eleven kings. Rience is not placed among the eleven kings but is stated to have his hands full with Leodegrance, one of Arthur's allies (probably due to his allegiance to Uther, noting that Uther had gifted him the Round Table - an indication that Leodegrance received his lands and title from Uther). After the Battle of Bedegraine, Rience's forces are routed from their siege by Arthur and his allies Ban and Bors. But the troubles with Rience are not over. He prepares a new military force and sends to Arthur the demand that he submit to him by sending his beard to fill out a cloak draped in the beards of the kings that he had already vanquished. Arthur refuses and we have the strange case of the killing of the May Day born infants.
   Rience enters the lands of Arthur, attacking the northwest coastal areas of Cornwall. His army and that of King Lot are drawn up before Terrabil. Arthur prepares for the war at the beginning of the story of Balin. But before Rience can succeed, he is captured by Balin and Balan, supposedly while on his way to a tryst with a lady, and is turned over to Arthur for justice. Arthur's army arrives to relieve the siege at Terrabil. While Merlin waylays the arrival of Lot's forces on the battlefield, Arthur's army defeats Rience's, commanded by Rience's brother Nero.
   Lot discovers the ruse and decides to attack, knowing that Arthur's army is exhausted while his is fresh. But the battle does not go his way. Arthur's forces rally and with the death of Lot at the hands of Pellinore, the enemy forces disintegrate.
   We can see in this battle the change already taking place in Arthur's realm, for the heroes are not our old friends Ulfius and Brastius from Uther's time, but the new Arthurian knights Kay, Hervis, Balin and Balan, and the old knight of prowess, Pellinore. And we see the end of the rebellion of the kings and barons against Arthur's rule, for Malory has twelve kings on the side of Rience and Lot slain. The kings are buried in the church of St. Stephen's in Camelot and the other knights and warriors are buried in a mass grave near the battle.
   Morgawse and her sons along with Uriens and Morgan le Fay come to the funeral. Malory states that Arthur placed Excalibur into Morgan's trust for safe keeping. Perhaps Arthur now felt that he could relax for the rebellion of his subjects was ended.