Sir Ector

Sir Ector (sometimes Hector or Ectorius) was, in Arthurian legend, the father of Sir Kay. Sometimes a king instead of merely a lord, his stronghold was in the north of England or the south of Scotland.

Traditionally, he was the foster father of King Arthur; however, Ector did not know who he was protecting, taking the child on merely at the bequest of Merlin. In some accounts, Ector treated him kindly, and in others he was cruel to young Arthur, placing Kay ahead of him. In any event, Arthur became the squire of Kay.

When a tournament was announced to be held in London to decide who the next king would be, Ector signed Kay up. However, when Arthur pulled the Sword from the Stone, Ector and Kay were the first ones to swear fealty to the new king, and both remained loyal to him throughout his reign.

See also: List of Arthurian characters