Other Persons of Interest
Welcome to the page where you will find information on other arthurians that were related to arthur, his knights, or had something unusual happening to them.
Women
Men
King Ban of Banoic and King Bors of Gaunes
King Lot of Orkney and the Lothians
Women
Annowre was a sorceress who fell in love with King Arthur. She enticed him to her home, a large tower in the Perilous Forest, but he refused to make love to her; so she turned on the monarch and plotted his death. In the hope that he might be slain, she enchanted Arthur so that he rode into her dangerous forest every day to be challenged by unscrupulous knights. The Lady of the Lake learnt of her plans though and raced to the King's aid. She called upon Sir Tristram to aid her and the two arrived at the tower just as two knights had wrestled Arthur to the ground. Annowre was poised to chop off the King's head, but Tristram rushed up, killed the knights and freed the King. Arthur then pursued Annowre and sliced her head off.
Loyal companion of Isolde the Fair. Brangwain was sometimes seen as the cousin of Isolde. She was also Isolde's maidservant. When Isolde went to Cornwall with Tristram, to marry King Mark, Queen Isolde had entrusted Brangwain with the love potion, she had prepared for her daughter (Princess Isolde) and King Mark. However by misadventure, Tristram and Isolde had drank the love potion and fallen in love with one another.
To hide Isolde's loss of virginity, Brangwain had taken her mistress' place in bed with Mark. Through, Brangwain's cunning and resourcefulness, she had arranged maany meeting between Tristan and Isolde, as well foiling Mark's and their enemies' attempts to trap the lovers.
This Elaine was known as the woman that bore the Grail in a procession before Percivale. She was called variously, Elaine, Amite, Helaine or Helizabel, daughter of King Pelles, the Fisher King and the Lord of Corbenic.
Her beauty was compared to that of Guinevere, King Arthur's queen. This Grail Maiden, Elaine was also confused with Elaine the Peerless. In some texts, the two were distinguished as two different people. Elaine (Grail Maiden) was the daughter of King Pelles, while Elaine the Peerless was the niece of the Lord of the Fens and wife of Persides the Red of the Castle of Gazevilte. But in others they are the same.
When Launcelot came to Corbenic Castle, Pelles wanted the greatest knight in the world to be the father of the future Grail hero, so he bid, Brisane, the governess of Elaine (who was also a sorceress), to give Launcelot a drug. This made him think he was making love to Queen Guinevere, when the hero was actually sleeping with Elaine. A child was conceived in from this union, and Elaine became the mother of Galahad, the Pure Knight, by her lover Launcelot. Galahad would be the knight who restored the kingdom, which had been laid waste through powerful enchantment.
The story also indicated that Elaine had also slept with Launcelot, not only because she was inspired by love for the hero, but in the hope she would conceive a son who would save her people and her father's kingdom. It is strange that the son born from a union of unmarried couple would win the supposedly holy Christian vessel. Normally, Christians would see that the union between of Launcelot and Elaine as a sin of fornication, and that Galahad had being the result of sinful birth: illegitimacy and bastardry. So it was no different from adultery, which Lancelot had committed with Queen Guinevere, and that Elaine would have been condemned along with Guinevere. Yet the author indicate that this was special union. Elaine was virgin and chaste, the bearer of the Grail. Though, Elaine would lose her maidenhood to the best knight in the world, her virginity would be pass onto her son. One of the reasons why Galahad would succeed in his quest is that he had remained pure: he had retained his virginity and chastity.
Elaine the Fair was also known as the Lady of Astolat. She was often called the Fair Maid of Astolat. She should not be confused with another Elaine, who was the daughter of King Pelles and mother of Galahad. Elaine fell in love with Launcelot, and tried to win his love. However, Launcelot was still in love with Guinevere. Elaine died from a broken heart. Her body arrived in Camelot, where King Arthur had her buried in a great tomb.
Enide was the beautiful wife of Geraint in Welsh and English literature. Enide was the niece of count of Laluth and it was said that her beauty surpassed even Isolde the Fair. Enide often found herself in trouble because of her beauty. Villains lusting after her would abduct her and try to marry or rape her. Her lover, in this case, her husband, inspired by his love for her, would come to her rescue, performing great heroic deeds for sake.
Geraint won her hand in marriage when he challenged and defeated the Knight of the Kestrel, also known as Yder, son of Nut. Enide became distressed when she heard her father-in-law's subjects blaming her for Geraint's lack of participation in heroic deeds, such as hunting, tournaments and warfare. He was spending so much time with her that the people were saying that she had bewitched him. When Geraint heard this from his wife, the hero misunderstood her concerns and thought she had low esteem for his prowess and his skills as a knight. He therefore set them on a journey with Enide through the forest, beset with bandits, giants and lecherous counts. The purpose of making this journey was to test Enide's love for him.
Count Oringle of Limors prevented Enide from committing suicide, when she thought her husband had died, after he had returned, killing two giants. However, Oringle had his own agenda for saving Enide. Oringle lusted after the distraught wife of Geraint. Oringle tried to force her to marry him, until Geraint regained conscious and killed the lecherous count. The whole adventure had put considerable stress and anxiety to Enide, who regretted telling her husband the truth. Enide was really blameless, for she was concern about what other people were saying about her and Geraint.
In the end, Enide proved her love and loyalty to her husband, Geraint apologised to Enide for putting her through the taxing ordeals, while he proved had lose none of his prowess as he defeated enemy after enemy.
Ganieda was known as the sister of Merlin and therefore she was also the sister-in-law of Gwendoloena, Merlin's wife. Ganieda was the wife of King Rodarch of Cumbria and when her husband died, Ganieda lived in the forest with her brother. It was she who had built a house with seventy doors and seventy windows for Merlin. The construction of the house allowed her brother to observe the night sky and foretell the future.
The legendary bard Taliesin later joined the brother and sister in the forest, where the bard shared news with Merlin. When Merlin regained his sanity by drinking water from healing spring, Ganieda gained the power of prophecy, supposedly superior to his own power.
Ganieda doesn't appear in the mainstream Arthurian legend. However, some people see that Merlin's sister was replaced with a fairy woman and sorceress known as the Lady of the Lake though that's not to say Ganieda is the Lady of the Lake.
Wife of Merlin. When Merlin went mad during the Battle of Arfderydd, and fled into the forest, Gwendoloena stayed with her sister-in-law Ganieda, in the court of King Rodarch. She was reunited with Merlin when Rodarch's men caught him in the forest of Calidon. When Merlin left Rodarch's court, Merlin gave permission for her to marry, but warn Gwendoloena that her future bridegroom must not see him, when he come to give her a wedding present.
On the day of her wedding, Merlin arrived at Rodarch's palace, mounted on a stag, leading other deer. Gwendoloena, who was standing at the window, saw and laughed the spectacle of her ex-husband. Either she forgot to warn her new husband-to-be or he had ignored her warning. In any cases, the bridegroom mocked Merlin. When the bridegroom stood before Merlin, Merlin ripped off the horn of the stag and flung it at Gwendoloena's lover, killing him. Merlin then returned to the forest. After this incidence, we never hear from Gwendoloena again.
Apart from this event, Gwendoloena's role is small; Merlin's sister played a more important role in the prophet/enchanter's life. In fact, there is only one work that mentioned Merlin having a wife.
Isolde the Fair was the daughter of King Gorman of Ireland and the Elder Isolde, sister of Morholt. Isolde was famous for been the lover of Tristram. Tristram came to woo Isolde for his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, but the pair accidentally drank love potion, falling instantly in love with one another. Even though Isolde was married to King Mark, she secretly committed adultery with Tristram. In all the stories, Isolde died of grief when Isolde's loyal companion and maidservant (or lady-in-waiting) was named Brangwain, who also happened to be her cousin. It was Brangwain who was responsible for the love potion.
Isolde should no be confused with two other women also named Isolde. Isolde had a mother who was also named Isolde, who was often called Queen Isolde or the Elder Isolde. The Elder Isolde was the wife of king of Ireland. There was also Isolde of the White Hands, who come from Brittany, and who had married Tristram, when the hero was exiled from Cornwall.
There was another Isolde, Isolde of the White Hands, who was daughter of the Duke of Brittany. Tristram married the Breton Isolde when he went into exile from Cornwall. Isolde became Tristram's wife, only because her father and brother Kaherdin mistaken the hero singing a song about her, when the song was actually about Isolde the Fair. Her marriage was an unhappy one, since Tristram was still love with Isolde the Fair.
Due to Isolde of the White Hands' jealously of Isolde the Fair Isolde brought about her husband and his lover's death. After Tristram was mortally wounded only Isolde the Fair could heal him. Isolde The Fair was coming to Brittany in a ship with a white sail. However, the Isolde of the White Hands, who knew of the signal arrange between Tristram and Isolde the Fair, told her husband that a ship had black sail, indicating that Isolde the Fair was not coming to heal his wounds. Tristram in despair, just gave up wanting to live. Isolde the Fair then died in grief, when she arrived too late to save her lover. Nothing more was known about Isolde of the White Hands.
The Lady of the Fountain appeared in several different versions of romance, with the hero Yvain, the son of Uriens.
The Lady of the Fountain was named Laudine. Laudine was known also by her title as the Lady of Landuc and was the daughter of Duke Landunet. Laudine was the Countess of the castle and the magical forest around the magical fountain or spring. By pouring water from a silver bowl on to a great stone, a sudden and fierce storm, causing destruction through the forest and castle.
A strong and brave knight was needed to defend the fountain. Laudine had married Esclados the Red, who was only known as the Black Knight in Mabinogion. When her husband was killed by Yvain, her companion, Lunete convinced the countess to take Yvain as her new husband and champion of the magical spring.
After they were happily married for some years, Yvain wanted to attend a tournament held by his uncle, King Arthur. Reluctantly, the Lady allowed her husband to attend the tournament, but must return within a year, or else he should never return.
Yvain failure to return to his wife and his duties to protect the fountain caused a separation between them. After some years of exile and adventure, Lunete helped the hero to reconcile with Lady Laudine.
According to one source, Nimue was the daughter of Dyonas, who had married the niece of the Duke of Burgoyne. Dyonas was the godson of Diana, the goddess of the woods. Her father had served the Duke of Burgundy as vavasor, and was given the Forest of Briosque. The other part of forest belonged to King Ban, which he won through serving the king as a knight.
Her lake seemed to be located in Little Britain, of this Forest of Briosque, and the lake was known as the Lake of Diana. It was named after the Roman goddess of the chase. Nimue was only 12 years old when she first met Merlin in this forest. Even at this young age, Merlin had fallen into her charm, which he found irresistible. Merlin taught her some of his magic in return for her love, before he departed from her.
As in the previous recount, the great wizard and prophet couldn't resist Nimue's beauty and Merlin followed her everywhere. She again promised her love to him, in return for Merlin to teach her everything about magic. Before she had lured Merlin to his death, the great wizard had built her hidden domain and palace near the Lake. With his magic he hid her home, so that anyone who went by, would only see a lake instead of her home.
When Nimue decided to return home, Merlin decided to accompany her, hoping to seduce the Lady of the Lake. Though Merlin knew that his end was near, he could not control his passion or lust for Nimue. On their journey, Merlin and Nimue met King Ban, his wife Elaine and the infant Galahad. Merlin told her that this baby would grow up to become the greatest knight in the world.
By the time they reached her home, Nimue decided to get rid of Merlin, enticing the sorcerer to teach her his magic, which she would use to trap the wizard. When they entered the forest of Broceliande, Nimue was tired of Merlin's company. She used the magic she learned from him, and entomb the sorcerer in rock. Others say that he was imprisoned Merlin in castle made of air, which only she could free him from, or a tree. Gawaine learned of Merlin's fate and entombment, or Pellinore, in some cases, and returned to Arthur with the news.
Arthur had lost his mentor and chief adviser. However, Nimue took over Merlin's role as the king magical adviser. Nimue had also foiled several plots of Morgan le Fay to kill her half-brother, King Arthur. Morgan le Fay was another sorceress, who beguiled Merlin into her magic and necromancy. When Morgan le Fay stole Excalibur from her brother, and gave the magical sword to her lover, Accolon of Gaul, it was Nimue who rescued the king from losing his duel and dying in the process: she used her magic to knock Excalibur out of Accolon's hand.
Launcelot possessed a ring, given to him by Nimue and this ring allowed him to dispell any magic. Nimue also gave Queen Guinvere a magical split shield. One half of the shield depicted a knight and woman kissing, but their lips not touching one another because of the split in the shield. Once Lancelot and Guinevere consummate their passion, the shield will be made whole.
The attendant of Nimue was probably Ganieda, Merlin's sister. Ganieda became Merlin successor, not as sorceress, but as a powerful seeress, inheriting her brother's gift of divination. Nimue was not related to Merlin anyway, but she was his last pupil, and the Lady of the Lake became Merlin's successor as the magical adviser of Arthur.
The heronine of the French romance called Knight of the Lion. Lunete was the companion and confidant of the Lady of the Fountain (Laundine). When Yvain mortally wounded the Laudine's first husband, Esclados the Red, Yvain found himself trapped in his enemy's castle. Only Lunete offered counsel and aid to Yvain. While the mob in the castle sought to avenge their lord, only Lunete helped Yvain to escape their notice by giving the hero a magic ring to make him invisible. While Yvain was invisible, he saw and fell in love with Esclados' beautiful widow. With Lunete's help, Yvain won the Laudine's hand and married the Lady. Lunete became the Lady's closest friend and adviser.
However, when Yvain over-extended his absence at King Arthur's court, the Lady asked her husband to never return to her. This separation with her husband also caused Lunete to lose favour with her Lady, since she advised Laudine to marry the hero. In the lady's court, the seneschal was jealous that Lunete was her favourite adviser. Now the seneschal managed to have her accused of treason. She was due to be burnt at the stake, when Yvain fought and defeated the seneschal and his brother in combat. Lunete not only won her freedom, but also was able to renew her friendship with Laudine. With resource and cunning, Lunete later helped Yvain to win his wife's love back, by tricking Laudine into reconciling with her husband.
The sister of Percivale. Whereas Elaine, the daughter of King Pelles and mother of Galahad, was the Grail Bearer, it is Percivale's sister who was the Grail heroine. Often in the Grail romances, Percivale's sister doesn't appear to have any name, nor does she appear in every tale with her brother. Her name could be Dindraine or Dindrane, Perlesvaus or Agrestizia.
In other texts she is known as Heliabel, where her beauty was compared to Guinevere: Heliabel surpassed Guinevere. In this romance, Percivale was still identified as the Grail hero.
However, in other records there is another Elaine or Heliabel, who was the daughter of Pellinore and the Lady of Rule. She would probably be a half-sister of Percivale and this sister had died long before the Grail began. This Elaine had killed herself in grief over lover death.
Percivale's sister first met Percivale when he returned to his mother's castle and found her there. She informed Percivale how their mother died when he left. After this, Percivale continued on the quest, leaving his sister with their hermit uncle, or alternatively, Percivale returned to his uncle, taking his sister to the Castle of Maidens, leaving her behind. Then she met the three Grail knights: Galahad, Bors and her brother Percivale. Though she told Percivale that she was his sister, she had never given them her name. She was the heroine who informed Galahad, Percivale and Bors about the origin of Sword of the Strange Belt, the magical ship and the Tree of Life. She could board the ship because she was an innocent virgin. She had made the sword-belt for Galahad with her own hairs and the strands of gold.
Though she seemed to have never met Pelles the Fisher King nor Elaine, Galahad's mother, Percivale's sister seemed to know more about the history of their family better than Galahad. She seemed to know the outcome of quest and her own destiny. When they left the ship, she and her companions encountered a castle with strange custom. Each virgin maiden travelled through the land must fill a dish with her blood. The people of the castle had wished to heal their Countess of leposy. Her brother and his companions would have defend her, but Percivale's sister agreed to the condition impose on them. Her life was sacrificed in ordered to save the Countess, thereby ending the horrible custom. Percivale and his friends placed her body in a boat and let it drift.
By the time, Galahad and his companions reached the Holy City of Sarras with grail, her body arrived. They buried her body in the city as she had foretold. Two years later, Galahad died after the mystery of Grail was revealed to him. Galahad was buried with her. Percivale became a hermit and died a year after Galahad. Bors had Percivale buried with his sister and Galahad, before he returned to Arthur in Britain, with the news of the end of the Quest.
Men
King Ban of Banoic and King Bors of Gaunes
Ban and Bors were brothers. Ban was king of Banoic, in Brittany, while Bors was king of Gaunes, or Gaul. They were the sons of King Lancelot and Queen Marche, who was the daughter of the King of Ireland. They were also descendants of Galahad of Hosselice, the son of Joseph of Arimathea.
The two brothers married two sisters. Ban had married Helen or Elaine, and became the father of Launcelot. Ban also had another son named Hector (Ector). Hector was his illegitimate son, when he slept with the niece of li Sires des Mares. Ban also had a god son named Banin.
King Bors had married Helen's sister named Evaine and had two sons Lionel and Bors. King Bors should not be confused with his more famous son, Sir Bors de Gannes, a Round Table knight and one of the three Grail heroes. Elaine and Evaine were of greater prestige than their husbands. Therefore on their mothers' sides, the heroes Launcelot and Bors were descendants of the biblical King David.
There was a war between Aramont and Claudas. Claudas was the king of la terre deserte (Waste Land), who was vassal to the King of Gaul. Aramont was the king of Brittany and became vassal of Uther Pendragon of Britain. Claudas had to surrender after Uther and Aramont devastated his land, which was why it was called the Waste Land. After the death of Uther and Aramont, Claudas retaliated against Ban and Bors, who were vassals of Aramont. Ban and Bors were friends and allies of King Arthur, helping the young king against rebellious vassals in the war in Britain. The brother kings were not only rulers, they were also great fighters. Ban wield the sword, called Coreuseuse.
Arthur was still busy in his war against the rebellious nobles, when Claudas invaded Banoic. Ban had died in grief when he lost his last castle in Trebes. Ban's treacherous seneschal had opened the castle's gate to Claudas' army. Claudas had promised to give the kingdom of Ban to seneschal. The seneschal did not lived long enough to enjoy treason, when Banin, god son of King Ban, killed the seneschal in a duel. Ban's wife was grief-stricken with Ban's death, neglecting her son Launcelot, who was only an infant. The Lady of the Lake took the infant and disappeared into the lake, which was her home and raised the child as her own. In her grief of having now lost her husband and son, Helen fled to an abbey nearby, in Royal Minister, and took the vow as a nun.
King Bors hearing the news about brother's death, died in grief as well. Evaine, wife of Bors, feared for her safety, fled with her two sons. Her two sons were captured and became prisoners of Claudas. Claudas now lord of Banoic and Gaunes, residing in Bors' castle of Castle Montlair. Evaine escaped and found her sister Helen in Royal Minister abbey. Evaine also took the vow and became a nun. Some years later, the Black Friar named Adragain arrived at Royal Minister, told Helen and Evaine that their sons were still alive. The Friar went to Britain, and rebuked Arthur for not coming to the aids of Ban and Bors. Arthur confessed that he was having trouble at home and promised to avenge their death.
The Lady of Lake (Nimue) decided it was time to rescue Lionel and Bors. She sent one of her damsel to Claudas, who spirited the boys to Nimue's home. Helen regularly visited the lake, which her son had disappeared. Helen was still beautiful as ever, but her sister had not fare so well. Evaine had become pale and ill with worries over sons. She wished she knew her sons were alive and safe. That night, Evaine had a vision of her sons playing with her nephew Launcelot in Nimue's garden. When she woke up in the morning, she found the names of Lionel, Bors and her nephew Launcelot written on her right hand. Evaine died happy, knowing that her sons and nephew were safe. Helen was reunited with her son, when Arthur took his army and invaded Claudas' kingdom and the King of Gaul. She spent a whole week with Launcelot before she died.
King Lot of Orkney and the Lothians
Lot was married to Anna Morgause for political reasons when Uther married Igraine. Lot was one of the principal kings that refused to accept Arthur when he pulled forth the sword and was crowned. During the civil war with Arthur, Lot was one of the main opposing kings, often holding the kings together by the sheer strength of his personality. In the struggle between Arthur and Rience, Arthur did battle before Terrabil against King Lot and Rience's brother, Nero. Merlin deceived Lot with a tale of prophecy causing Lot to arrive on the battlefield late. In the final assault, Pellinore slayed Lot.
Lot, along with his fellow kings slain in the battle, were interred in the Church of Saint Stephen's in Camelot. Arthur made Lot's tomb richer than the other kings and had Merlin create an image of each of the kings in laton and copper overgilt with gold, each holding a taper that burnt eternally, and over the twelve an image of Arthur holding a sword. Lot's death was be avenged by his son, Gawaine. Lot had having four sons by Anna Morgause - Gawaine, Agravaine, Gaheris, and Gareth - all of which become knights of Arthur's court.
King Mark (King of Cornwall)
Mark was the husband of Isolde the Fair, the son of Felix and the brother of Blancheflor. He usually had a brother and three other sisters. Mark's sister had fallen in love with Rivalen, lord of Armenye, in Brittany. Blancheflor was pregnant when she left Cornwall with her husband, when the Morgan, duke of Brittany, attacked Rivalen's land. Rivalen was killed in battle. When she gave birth to a son, she had named him Tristram. Blancheflor died from broken heart.
When Tristram arrived in his court when he was fifteen years-old, Mark could not recognise him as his sister's son, nor did he know of Tristram's true identity. Mark was so impressed by Tristram's skills in hunting, that the hero unknowingly served as Mark's chief huntsman. It was only when Tristram's foster-father, Roald de Foytenant, found the youth in Cornwall, that the hero's true idenitity was revealed as Tristram as Mark's sister's son. Roald proved the identity by showing Mark, his sister's ring. Mark welcomed Tristram warmly. Mark made his nephew a knight and soon became his trusted advisor.
The jealousy of his barons over Tristram caused them to plot to remove Tristram's influence over Mark. They wanted their king to find a wife and produced an heir, to rid of Tristram. Mark sent Tristram to woo the daughter of king of Ireland, named Isolde, known for her great beauty. Tristram won Isolde for his uncle by killing a dragon. However, by misadventure, Tristram and Isolde had unwittingly drank love potion, that Isolde's mother had prepared for King Mark and her daughter. Tristram and Isolde fell in love with one another so strongly, that this would have tragic consequences and hardship.
Mark married Isolde, but she had already lost her virginity to Tristram. To hide this, they tricked Mark into sleeping with Isolde's faithful handmaiden, Brangwain. Brangwain helped the two young lovers in many trysts. Cornish noblemen were still determined to rid of Tristram, realised that Isolde was committing adultery with the hero. They informed the unbelieving king. They tried several times to prove Tristram and Isolde was committing adultery and treason, by trying to trapped the pairs. However, Tristram, Isolde and Brangwain managed to avoid their traps with cunning and ingenuity.
Depending on the authors, Mark was either depicted as weak and a coward, or as cruel and barbaric. Mark was prepared to torture or put to death his wife. Later versions say that Mark murdered his nephew, cowardly and cold-bloodedly, by stabbing him in the back. Though, his nephew and wife had betrayed him by committing adultery and deliberately lying to their king, the authors and audience, were always sympathetic with the young lovers than with the king.
Merlin wore many hats: he was a wizard or sorcerer, a prophet, a bard, an adviser and a tutor. He appeared as a young boy with no father. He appeared as an old, wise man, freely giving his wisdom to four successive British kings. He was dotting old fool, who couldn't control his lust over beautiful women, who hold him in fear and contempt. He had even appeared as a madman, and learned how to talk to the animals. Merlin was the last of the druid, the Celtic shaman, priest of nature, and keeper of knowledge, particularly of the arcane secrets.
Merlin first appears as a mere prophet, but his role gradually evolved into that of magician, prophet and advisor, active in all phases of the administration of King Arthur's kingdom. He was apparently given the name Emrys (or Ambrosius) at his birth in Caer-Fyrddin. He only later became known as Merlin, a Latinized version of the Welsh word, Myrddin, taken from the place of his birth. Merlin was the illegitimate son of a monastic Royal Princess of Dyfed. The lady's father, however, King Meurig ap Maredydd ap Rhain, is not found in the traditional pedigrees of this kingdom and was probably a sub-King of the region bordering on Ceredigion. Merlin's father, it is said, was an angel who had visited the Royal nun and left her with child. Merlin's enemies claimed his father was really an incubus, an evil spirit that has intercourse with sleeping women. The evil child was supposed to provide a counterweight to the good influence of Jesus Christ on earth. Merlin, fortunately, was baptized early on in his life, an event which is said to have negated the evil in his nature, but left his powers intact. The tale goes that Merlin even saved his mother from execution for committing adultery, when he was just 18 months old - and by that time he could talk! His wonderful powers come from the fact that he was baptised immediately after birth and from his mother's goodness - she frequently prayed and crossed herself in a most devout manner. The original story was presumably invented to save his mother from the scandal which would have occurred had her liaison with one Morfyn Frych (the Freckled), a minor Prince of the House of Coel, been made public knowledge.
Legend then tells us that after the Roman withdrawal from Britain and the usurpation of the throne from the rightful heirs, Vortigern was in flight from the Saxon breakout and went to Snowdonia, in Wales, in hopes of constructing a mountain fortress at Dinas Emrys where he might be safe. Unfortunately, the building kept collapsing and Vortigern's house wizards told him that a human sacrifice of a fatherless child would solve the problem. One small difficulty was that such children are rather hard to find. Fortunately for Vortigern's fortress, Merlin was known to have no human father and happened to be available. Before the sacrifice could take place, Merlin used his great visionary powers and attributed the structural problem to a subterranean pool in which lived a red and a white dragon. The meaning of this, according to Merlin, was that the red dragon represented the Britons, and the white dragon, the Saxons. The dragons fought, with the white dragon having the best of it, at first, but then the red dragon drove the white one back. The meaning was clear. Merlin prophesied that Vortigern would be slain and followed on the throne by Ambrosius Aurelianus, then Uther, then a greater leader, Arthur. It would fall to him to push the Saxons back. True to the prophecy, Vortigern was slain and Ambrosius took the throne. Later, Merlin appears to have inherited his grandfather's little kingdom, but abandoned his lands in favour of the more mysterious life for which he has become so well known. After 460 British nobles were massacred at a peace conference, as a result of Saxon trickery, Ambrosius consulted Merlin about erecting a suitable memorial to them. Merlin, along with Uther, led an expedition to Ireland to procure the stones of the Chorea Gigantum, the Giant's Ring. Merlin, by the use of his extraordinary powers, brought the stones back to a site, just west of Amesbury, and re-erected them around the mass grave of the British nobles. We now call this place Stonehenge.
Merlin has helped out Arthur in many ways, the first of which being, of course, his conception, where Uther, with the aid of Merlin's enchantments, was made to look like Gorlois, and entered the chambers of Igraine, Gorlois' wife, while the lord was away. One thing led to another and Arthur, the future high-king of Britain, was conceived. Merlin also hid the baby Arthur when his father, Uther, died, protecting the infant from being slaughtered at the hands of greedy barons, who wanted to beome king themselves. A few years later, Merlin even created the sword in the stone so that Arthur could come to his rightful place on the throne. When Arthur broke this sword that had named him king in a fight with King Pellinor, Merlin brought Arthur to the lake where he received a new sword from the Lady of the Lake. This sword was the true Excalibur. Merlin told the young king that the scabbard was better than the sword, because it would prevent him from bleeding from his wounds. Later Morgan le Fay would steal the scabbard. Some texts say, however, that apart from his conception, Merlin had no other involvement in Arthur's life. Most writings agree, though, that Merlin played a very active role during Arthur's reign.
A most famous story about Merlin, is where he takes on an apprentice, Vivien (Nimue, Ninaine etc.), but upon teaching her everything he knows, falls victim to the spells of his own apprentice. Vivien, who may have been the Lady of the Lake, then imprisoned him in a cave for eternity, so the story goes. Various texts mention him as having a sister, Ganieda, and even a wife, called Gwendoloena. Merlin, during his period of madness in the woods, told Gwendoloena that she was free to marry someone else, thus dissolving all his marriage vows to her. However, he warned her that he would bring her a gift on her wedding day, and the groom must, at all costs, avoid standing in his (Merlin's) path and the magician even prevented him from seeing the betrothed that day. On the day of Gwendoloena's wedding, she saw from her window, her ex-husband mounted on a stag, leading a herd of stags and deer into the court. Gwendoloena laughed at this spectacle. Her laugh brought her fiance to the window; thereby her fiance had broken the first interdiction. Then Merlin broke off one of his stag's antler and hurled it at her fiance's head, which killed him. This was Merlin's gift to Gwendoloena. In the forest, Ganieda had a large building constructed for her brother, with 70 doors and 70 windows, so Merlin could observe the stars in the winter, while he was free to roam the forest in the summer.Merlin then began to foretell a series of some of the bleak events about Britain. All these prophecy was written down. One day will Ganieda was visiting her brother, Merlin told her that Rodarch, Ganieda's husband, had died, and that she should attend her husband's funeral and deliver an elegy. Merlin also told Ganieda that she should bring Taliesin to him (or Thegesinus), who should have returned from his study with Gildas in Armorica.
After the funeral, Ganieda returned and lived with her brother for the rest of her life, rather than stay at the palace. Taliesin informed them that he had visited the Isle of Avalon, bringing with him Arthur, who was wounded in the battle of Camlann, on a ship belonging to Barinthus. The Isle of Avalon was ruled by nine sisters, sorceresses who were famous healers and had the ability to fly. Morgan le Fay, more beautiful and powerful than her sisters, told Taliesin that they could heal the king, only if Arthur stayed with them. The future of Britain was uncertain and bleak, so Taliesin want to return Arthur to his kingdom, but Merlin informed the bard that it was not yet time for Arthur's return. One day, the rain came, creating a new spring in the forest of Broceliande (Paimpoint). Taliesin guided Merlin to the spring, and when he drank the water, his sanity had returned to him. The healing spring became known as the fountain of Barenton. Upon hearing of Merlin being healed of madness, the people of Demetae (Dyved) wanted the prophet to become their ruler, but he refused on the grounds that he was old. One day, Merlin met another madman in the forest, whom he recognised to be Maeldin. The prophet brought his friend to the magical spring, curing and restoring Maeldin's sanity. At that same time, Ganieda was overcome with a frenzy that gave her the ability to foretell the future. The tale ended with Merlin, announcing his retirement as a prophet, and that his sister had taken over his task.
Merlin wasn't only an adviser to Arthur. In the Didot Perceval, he aided Percivale in several adventures. In Suite du Merlin, Merlin had unsuccessfully tried to guide Sir Balin. Merlin foretold of the greatness of Lancelot and Tristan, though texts say Merlin had died shortly after Lancelot was born.
Merlin was also heavily involved with the Grail in later legend. Legend has it that Merlin designed and constructed the Round Table that King Arthur and his knights would sit around. He had modelled the table from the Grail Table created by Joseph of Arimathea, centuries earlier. Since the Second Grail Continuation, Merlin had a master and friend, named Blaise or Bleise. According to the legend, Blaise was responsible for the chronicle of Arthur and the Grail. Blaise was also a confessor of Merlin's mother, at Merlin's conception and was still alive when Arthur's Golden Age had fallen apart. Like the Grail Table, one seat was left vacated at Arthur's Round Table. This seat was called Siege Perilous. Only the pure and best knight in the world could sit on the Siege Perilous. The knight who sat on the Siege Perilous would also be the eventual champion of the quest for the Holy Grail. In Boron's Percivale (now lost) and the Didot Percivale, this Grail knight was Percivale. Merlin became Percivale's adviser in the quest. In the Vulgate Cycle, the new Grail hero was Galahad, the son of Launcelot. Merlin had disappeared shortly after Launcelot was born and long before Galahad's time.
According to some texts, Merlin's career extended beyond Arthur. Merlin travelled north, after Camlann, to the court of King Gwendoleu of Caer-Guenoleu (north of the Salway) where the locals called him Lailoken (or Llallogan). Shortly afterward, a war broke out between Merlin's Royal master and the three allies, King Riderch Hael (the Generous) of Strathclyde and Kings Peredyr & Gwrgi of Ebrauc (York). Gwendoleu was killed in the ensuing Battle of Ardderyd (Arthuret) and Merlin, sent mad with grief at the death of his nephew and four brothers, fled into the Caledonian Forest. He lived there in a mad frenzy for over a year, becoming known as Myrddin Wylt (the Wild), before Riderch, who was his brother-in-law, found him and brought him to safety in the Strathclyde Court. There is also a myth about Myrddin, who was the Welsh version of Merlin, and the story is much similar to our English one.
Merlin had also foretold particular events surrounding the Grail quests. Apart from that, Merlin had foretold the greatness of Launcelot and Tristram, the two greatest lovers of the ages, as well as the great duel they would fight. Merlin had foreseen that Arthur desire to marry Guinevere would one day bring ruin to Arthur and the kingdom, yet he was powerless to dissuade Arthur from the love match. Merlin also foretold the treachery of Morgan le Fay, who stole Excalibur from her brother (Arthur). Merlin foretold the death of Balin, Pellinor and Arthur. Last of all, Merlin foretold his own death, at the hand of the Lady of the Lake.
There were several versions of Merlin's death or his mysterious disappearances from the legend. In most later tales, Merlin was still alive when Arthur became king. In Didot Percivale, he outlived Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, in the final battle against Mordred. It was he who guided Percivale in the final stage of the quest for the Holy Grail. Merlin told Percivale that he would not die until the end of the world. In a few tales, a maiden or a fay had trapped Merlin in an enchantment. The most famous was the Lady of the Lake. Again, there are few versions involving his death at the hand of the Lady of the Lake. The Lady of the Lake was a powerful sorceress and the lady of Otherworldly realm, hidden by the illusionary lake. The Lady of the Lake was known by several other names, such as Niniane, Viviane and Nimue. In Vulgate Merlin, the Lady of the Lake had first met Merlin, when she was only twelve. She was amazed by the power of Merlin. She promised to love him if Merlin would teach her all his crafts. Years later, Merlin met her again. Through subterfuge, she seduced and used her magic to confine him in a enchanted tower in which Merlin was powerless to leave, while the Lady could visit and leave the tower at will.
His prison and/or burial place is said to be beneath Merlin's Mound at Marlborough College in Marlborough (Wiltshire), at Drumelzier in Tweeddale (Scotland), Bryn Myrddin (Merlin's Hill) near Carmarthen (Wales), Le Tombeau de Merlin (Merlin's Tomb) near Paimpont (Brittany) and Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island) off the Lleyn Peninsula (Wales).
King Mordrain was originally a pagan king of Sarras named Evalach. Mordrain was married to a beautiful lady, named Sarrasinte, sister of Nascien. Mordrain became a Christian when he met Joseph of Arimathea and his son, Josephus. Mordrain was the brother-in-law of Nascien.
When Josephus was dying, Mordrain wanted something to remember his friend by. Josephus told the king to bring the white shield to him. Josephus, who had a nose-bleed, drew a cross with his blood on Mordrain's shield. Galahad, descendant of Nascien, would later receive this shield when he took part in the quest for the Grail.
When Nascien broke the Sword with the Strange Belt, it was Mordrain who restored the sword by joining the two sections of the blade together. Rather than keep the magic sword for himself, he left the sword on the bed of the magical ship.
King Mordrain was still alive, but ancient and blinded, during the Grail quest. Mordrain lost his sight and the strength of his limbs, because he had dared to look at the Grail. It was Galahad who restored Mordrain's sight. Galahad comforted the aged king, until Mordrain died in Galahad's arms, fulfilling another prophecy about Galahad.
Duke of Orberica. Nascien was originally named Seraph but changed his name when he was baptised by Josephus, son of Joseph of Arimathea. Nascien was the son of the Duchess of Orberica, and the brother of Sarrasinte. Sarrasinte had married King Mordrain, so Mordrain was his brother-in-law.
Nascien fulfilled the prophecy of the Sword of the Strange Belt. The inscription on the blade said that the sword will fail the man who prized the sword above everything else. When Nascien tried used the sword to kill a giant, it broke in two. King Mordrain restored the sword by putting the two sections of the blade together. Nascien was wounded in the shoulder by a flying magic sword, as punishment for drawing the Sword of the Strange Belt. Another prophecy says that it would be the descendant of Nascien who would win the Grail. His descendant was Galahad, through his mother Elaine and his grandfather King Pelles.
Nascien died on the same day as his sister and his wife, not long after Mordrain had lost his vision and the strength of his limbs. Mordrain survived until Galahad cured him.
King Ryons of Outre Ombre (King of Outre Ombre)
This eccentric monarch of Outre Ombre appears to have had close Saxon ties, including some relatives. He was in the habit of trimming his cloak with the beards of the kings he had defeated in conquered. Ryons was hostile towards King Arthur during the Rebellion of the Eleven Kings, but he was occupied with an invasion of Cameliard - besieging Carohaise and fighting at Aneblayse - and did not actively take part himself. Not long after the Battle of Bedegraine, Ryons had the arrogance to send the young King Arthur a message declaring that his cloak had displayed the facial hair of eleven subordinate monarchs and he demanded Arthur's to make it an even dozen. Joking with his men that he was too young to be able to provide Ryons with much of a beard, King Arthur took a great army to conquer Outre Ombre instead and their two armies clashed at the Battle of Mount Aravius. Ryons was thoroughly defeated, but fell back on his old rebellious allies and laid siege to Arthur's forces at Castle Teribel. Within the fortress, however, Merlin plotted the beard collector's downfall. He instructed Sirs Balin and Balan to ambush Ryons when he slipped away from the castle with only a small band of men to a romantic rendezvous with Lady de Vance. This the two knights did, knocking Ryons to the ground and slaying over forty of his men. The King of Outre Ombre was thus bound and gagged and delivered to King Arthur. He appears to have been put on trial by combat where he was killed by Arthur. With King Ryons dead, his brother, Sir Nero, continued the war but Merlin devised a ruse to delay King Lot of Orkney's reinforcements and the rebellion was crushed.
King Uriens of Gorre (King of Gorre)
Uriens was an actual historical figure; a Welsh king. He was the brother of Lot, king of Lothian, and Auguselus, king of Albany. The three brothers became important allies of King Arthur, when the young king restored them to respective kingdoms. Early tradition says that Uriens was the king of Moray, northern kingdom of Scotland. Later writers, however, had moved Uriens's kingdom to the mythical Gorre. There are several speculations on the location of Gorre. Gorre was most likely a Celtic Otherworld, such as the Isle de Voirre (Isle of Glass). Others had placed it at Glastonbury, Somerset, or in Bath, Avon.
In the early Arthurian legend, Uriens was the father of the Round Table knight named Yvain, by some unknown mother. But according to the early Welsh myths, Uriens Rheged married the goddess Modron, the mother of Mabon. Modron was also the mother of the hero Yvain and a daughter, named Morvudd. Then according to early 13th century writers, Arthur's fairy half-sister, Morgan le Fay, was the wife of Uriens and mother of Yvain. As it can be seen here, Modron and Morgan were one and the same person.
In some tales, Uriens refused to surrender Gorre to Uther Pendragon and refused to accept Uther as his liege lord. In the war that followed between two kings, Uriens was captured. Still Uriens refused to pay homage to Uther. King Bagdemagus was a nephew of Uriens. To save his uncle from hanging, Bagdemagus surrendered Gorre to Uther. Uther rewarded Bagdemagus by crowning Uriens's nephew as the new king of Gorre. Uriens was forced to retire to a hermitage.
In other legends, Uriens his wife, Morgan, took Accolon of Gaul as her lover. While Accolon died in a duel against Arthur, she tried to murder Uriens while he was asleep. Yvain saved his father's life but allowed his mother to go free.
Uriens appears to bear some resemblence to Igraine's husband, Gorlois, in the fact that Uriens had a fight with Uther, who then went to war with the lord and captured him. The name of the fief, Gorre, also is similar to the name of Gorlois' kingdom: Gore.
King Vortigern (King of Britain)
After the death of Constantine II of Britain, the British nobles were deciding which of the king's younger sons (Ambrosius Aurelianus and Uther) would succeed the king. One of the nobles (Vortigern) advised them the best choice was the eldest named Constans. However, Constans was to become a monk. Vortigern persuaded the naive youth to leave the monastery and take up kingship. Constans agreed and became king of Britain. Constans made Vortigern his cheif adviser. Constans bestowed upon Vortigern increasingly greater power. Vortigern then advised the young king to hire Pictish mercenaries. Through deception and treachery, Vortigern tricked Picts into killing the king. Vortigern then seized power. The people, who were looking after Constans' younger brothers, fear for their safety, send the brothers to Brittany, where the two princes were brought up by King Budicius I.
After ruling some years, the Saxons under the leadership of Hengist and Horsa, arrived on the British shore. Vortigern enlisted them to his services and fell in love with Rowena, the beautiful daughter of Hengist, whom the king married. Vortigern gave his father-in-law a great deal of powers. Hengist also managed to persuade the king to allow more Saxons to settle in Britain. Vortigern had three sons by Rowena: Vortimer, Categirn and Pascent. Vortigern also had a daughter, whom the tyrant slept with; his daughter gave birth to his fourth son, Faustus. St Germanus admonished Vortigern for committing incest with his daughter. The British nobles were alarmed that Vortigern gave the foreigners many powers and lands that they demanded the king should send them away. Vortigern ignored them. Even his own son, Vortimier opposed him, who raised an army to drive the Saxons from Britain. Vortimier died from poisoning that his stepmother (Rowena) gave him.
Vortigern tried to make peace between the two warring sides. There was a truce between the Britons and Saxons. However, the Saxons had knives hidden in their clothes. In the night of long knives, the Saxons masscared the British nobles who had attended the meeting. Vortigern was spared, but he lost much of Britain to his father-in-law. Vortigern fled to Wales. Vortigern tried to build a strong castle on top of the hill, but every night the walls would collapsed. His advisers Vortigern to find a boy with no father, and to kill the boy and use his blood mixed with mortar. They say that this blood sacrifice would make the walls strong. By happenstance, Vortigern came upon a boy with no father. This boy was named Merlin. When Merlin heard the advisers' counsel, he rebuked them for lying. Merlin told the king, the real reasons for the walls collapsing, was that there was a pool of water underneath his foundation and two dragons were fighting one another. All this was true. The two dragons escaped, one red, the other white. Merlin became Vortigern's chief adviser, while the other advisers were hung for lying.
Aurelius and Uther returned from Brittany, with a large army. Their intention was to depose Vortigern, and drive out the Saxons from Britain. Vortigern withdrew to his castle. However, the new arrivals had put the castle to torch; and Vortigern died in the fire. Others say that Vortigern's castle did burn down, killing the king and his wives, as well as his followers, but make no mention of Aurelius Ambrosius' involvement. They claim the castle Cair Guothergirn was set ablaze by God himself. Aurelius Ambrosius became king. Vortigern's son, Paschent, was involved in a rebellion and war against Aurelius.
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Tristram was killed. There are too many versions on how they died to be told here.
The Lady of the Lake was said to be a woman of great magical power. She resided in the lake, which was supposedly a Celtic Otherworld. A great enchantment was cast upon her castle, to hide her land from intruders. The Lady of the Lake was known by many names: Vivien, Vivaiane, Nineve, Nenive, Nimue, Niniane, Nymenche, Uiuiane? but to save confusion I will call her Nimue.
And yet another informant tells us that Nimue was a huntress, and the daughter of the King of Northumbria in Brittany. Shortly after the wedding of King Arthur and Guinevere, Nimue was out hunting a white hart (deer) with her brachet (hound). Her hound was stolen and she was abducted. Merlin send three knights in the Quest of the White Hart, where Gawaine had to fetch the hart, Tor had to retrieve the hound and Pellinore had to rescue the abducted huntress (Nimue).
Later, when Arthur returned to Camelot, Morgan sent one of her damsels, carrying a beautiful mantle to her half-brother, as token of peace. Nimue suspecting treachery from Morgan advised the king not to wear the robe. Arthur forced Morgan's attendant to wear the robe instead. The damsel died when mantle was placed on her shoulders, and she was instantly burnt to a crisp. Nimue was responsible for raising Launcelot after the death of his father, King Ban of Banoic. Launcelot did not known his own name nor those of his parents', because Nimue did not reveal it while he was living with her. Nimue revealed only that he would find his real name when he became the best knight in the world. Nimue taught Launcelot about courtly love and the duties of a true knight. It was she who send him to Arthur, to be knighted, and there the young Launcelot fell instantly in love with Arthur's beautiful queen - Guinevere. Nimue helped Launcelot several times either by herself or by many of her damsels who served her. She knew of her foster son's love for the queen.
