Ulrich von Bek

Graf Ulrich von Bek is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock.

Fictional biography

Ulrich von Bek and his descendants are a somewhat unusual family in Moorcock's works, as they function both as an aspect of his Eternal Champion and as a companion to him. The family is considered to be the current Keeper of the Holy Grail.

The character of (Countess) Rose von Bek appears in several of the above-mentioned novels and short stories, but she was only a von Bek by marriage, retaining the surname and title after her divorce.

Additionally, the members of the Begg (originally, van Beek) family are stated to be English cousins of the Continental von Beks.

Family motto

The von Bek family motto is Do you the Devil's work, a nod to the relationship that the family developed with Satan in The War Hound and the World's Pain.

Bibliography

A von Bek features in the following novels and short stories:

• The War Hound and the World's Pain (1981)
• "Flux" (1979, short story, retroactively rewritten as a von Bek)
• The Brothel in Rosenstrasse (1982)
• The City in the Autumn Stars (1986)
• The Dragon in the Sword (1987, with Erekosë)
• The Sundered Worlds, a.k.a. The Blood-Red Game (1965, retroactively rewritten as a von Bek)
• "The Pleasure Garden of Felipe Sagittarius" (1965, short story, retroactively rewritten as a Von Bek)
• "The White Wolf's Song," a.k.a. "The Black Blade's Summoning" (1994, short story, with Elric)
• Blood: A Southern Fantasy (1995, Rudy von Bek)
• "The Affair of the Seven Virgins" (1994, short story appearing in Fabulous Harbors, with Sexton Begg)
• "Crimson Eyes" (1994, short story appearing in Fabulous Harbors, with Sexton Begg)
• "No Ordinary Christian" (1995, short story appearing in Fabulous Harbors, with Poppy Begg)
• The War Amongst the Angels (1997)
• "The Cairene Purse" (2002, short story)
• The Dreamthief's Daughter (2001, with Elric)
• The Skrayling Tree (2003, with Elric)
• The White Wolf's Son (2005, with Elric)

Moorcock has rewritten several of his past novels and short stories so that characters who previously had other names are now von Beks. Thus retroactively, von Bek has become one of the most important Multiverse participants.

External links

• Moorcock's Miscellany (formerly Tanelorn, Multiverse.org & Moorcock's Weekly Miscellany)