Who is Duke Borel?

This page pulls together every reference to Borel across the Corwin and Merlin chronicles.

The Courts of Chaos, Ch. 2
The first time we learn of the existence of Borel is when Dara mentions him to a group of Amberites.

"Your swordplay...? You told me then that Benedict had trained you."
She smiled again and her eyes glowed dark fires.
"I learned from the great Duke Borel himself, a High Lord of Chaos."

The Courts of Chaos, Ch. 10
On his way to the Patternfall War, Corwin has his first (and last) encouter with Borel. They fight, and Corwin kills him.

"I have long wanted to meet you," he said. "I am Borel. I do not want it said that I took unfair advantage of you when I killed you."

Borel... The name was familiar. Then I remembered. He had Dara's respect and affection. He had been her fencing teacher, a master of the blade. Stupid, though, I saw. He had forfeited my respect by removing his armor. Battle is not a game, and I had no desire to make myself available to any presumptuous ass who thought otherwise. Especially a skilled ass, when I was feeling beat."

Knight of Shadows, Ch. 6
Here is how Merlin describes Borel when he meets his Logrus Ghost:

Lord Borel, a duke of the royal House of Swayvill and reputedly one of my mother's lovers of long ago. He was also deemed to be one of the deadliest swordsmen in the Courts. Killing my father or Benedict or Eric had been an obsession with him for years. Unfortunately it had been Corwin whom he'd met, at a time when Dad was in a hurry-and they'd never crossed blades.

Weird that he is called a duke of House Swayvill, when later he is shown specifically to be part of House Hendrake. This could be a glitch on Zelazny's part.

Prince of Chaos, Ch. 3
From a dialog between Merlin and Suhuy:

"I'd heard as much in Amber," I said. "I wonder. . . He'd killed a noble - a Lord Borel - near the end of the final battle. Any chance Borel's relatives might have gone after him?"

He clicked his fangs twice, then pursed his lips.

"The House of Hendrake . , ." he mused. "I think not. Your grandmother was Hendrake. . . ."

"I know," I said. "But I didn't have much to do with them. Some disagreement with Helgram. . . ,"  ...

"Who is head of the House of Hendrake now?" 

"The Duchess Belissa Minobee."

"The duke, her husband - Larsus. . . . What happened to him?"

"He died at Patternfall. I believe Prince Julian of Amber slew him."

"And Borel was their son?" 

"Yes. ... Borel had two brothers, a half brother and a half sister, many uncles, aunts, cousins. Yes, it's a big House."

Prince of Chaos, Ch. 4
According to Mandor:

"Corwin slew Borel of Hendrake at the time of the Patternfall War."

Prince of Chaos, Ch. 5
Here is how Duke Borel (as a Logrus Ghost) introduces himself:

"I am Borel, Duke of Hendrake, Master of Arms of the Ways of Hendrake."

Prince of Chaos, Ch. 9
In this exchange between Corwin and Gilva, we confirm that Borel is from House Hendrake.

"Yes, it's important. But I haven't time to make an appointment with Belissa. It concerns my father, Corwin."

"Yes?"

"It was he who slew Borel of Hendrake in the war at Patternfall."

"So I understand," she said.

Other Chaosians

King Swayvill - Head of House Swayvill; King of Chaos

Suhuy - Master of the Logrus; uncle to Merlin; brother to Dara

Bances - Lord of House Amblerash; "a distant relative and longtime friend of our late monarch." ... "The man's a priest of the Serpent."

Tubble - Prince of the Ways of Chanicut; "Placid, heavy, subtle; centuries old and very shrewd; he wore a fringed beard, had wide, innocent, pale eyes, was master of many games."

Tmer - Lord of the House of Jesby; "eldest son of the late Prince Rolovians, and now lord himself of the Ways of Jesby"

House Hendrake

House Sawall




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