Josephus, also called
Josephe or
Josephes, is the son of
Joseph of Arimathea and an early keeper of the
Holy Grail in some tellings of the
Arthurian legend. He makes appearances in the
Quest del Saint Graal section of the
Lancelot-Grail cycle, but his story is fully told in the
Estoire del Saint Grail (
History of the Holy Grail), a prequel section written somewhat later.Lacy, Norris J. (editor).
Lancelot-Grail: The Old French Arthurian Vulgate and Post-Vulgate Cycles in Translation, volumes I and IV. In the
Estoire he is invested as
bishop by an apparition of
Jesus with the implication that he was the first to receive his orders. Josephus is considered the primary holy man of the group, which is in contrast with the Lancelot-Grail's major source,
Robert de Boron's
Joseph d'Arimathie, in which his father is the undisputed leader. This is likely due to the authors' assertion that various great families are descended from Joseph; his virtuous son remains chaste and has no children.
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...
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