The Four Riders (四駿, Four Horses) are the current four strongest soldiers in Daein's army.

Overview[]

The Four Riders are a quartet of the highest-ranking members of the Daein army. The original Four Riders, known as the Legendary Four Riders, or Great Riders, were Gawain, Tauroneo, Bryce, and Lanvega. Of the original Four Riders, three left their positions after Ashnard rose to the Daein throne. Tauroneo and Lanvega resigned in direct response to Ashnard's ascension, but remained members of Daein's military and government. Gawain meanwhile left Daein along with his wife Elena after she was entrusted with Lehran's Medallion by the heron laguz, Lillia, and lived under a new identity as mercenary commander Greil.

The positions of the three departed Riders were eventually filled by a second generation of generals in the Black Knight, Bertram, and Petrine. Of these four, Petrine and Bryce died in The Mad King's War. Bertram was presumed to have died as well, but was in fact spared by Bastian. It was later revealed during the events of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn that Bertram was the Crimean noble Lord Renning, whom Ashnard had placed under a powerful mind-control.

The Black Knight, who keeps his identity secret with a full suit of black, magical armor, is a former pupil of Gawain. During the events of Path of Radiance, the Black Knight, in pursuit of Greil and his mercenaries, kills Greil in a duel, and later survives a duel with Ike. In Radiant Dawn, the Black Knight is revealed to be the double-identity of Zelgius, a general in the Begnion military working in secret with Sephiran. He engages Ike in one final duel in the Tower of Guidance, where he is slain.