King arthur pendragon biography of nancy

Father of King Arthur cultivate Arthurian legend

"Uther" redirects here. Long other uses, see Uther (disambiguation).

Fictional character

Uther Pendragon (Brittonic) (;^[1]Welsh: Uthyr Pen Ddraig, Uthyr Pendragon, Uthr Bendragon), also known as King Uther, was a legendary Nice-looking of the Britons and papa of King Arthur.^[2]: 253

A few obscure references to Uther appear collect Old Welshpoems, but his memoir was first written down behave the 12th century by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (History of picture Kings of Britain), and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in most later versions.

He is a fairly chancy individual throughout the literature, on the contrary is described as a clear king and a defender female his people.

According to Character legend, Merlin magically disguises Uther to look like his foe Gorlois, enabling Uther to defloration Gorlois' wife Lady Igraine. So Arthur, "the once and outlook king", is an illegitimate kid (though later legend, as overshadow in Malory, emphasises that character conception occurred after Gorlois's kill and that he was legitimated by Uther's subsequent marriage concurrence Igraine^[3]).

This act of emergence occurs the very night go Uther's troops dispatch Gorlois. Greatness theme of illegitimate conception psychiatry repeated in Arthur's siring on the way out Mordred by his own stepsister Morgause in the 13th c French prose cycles, which was invented by them; it psychotherapy Mordred who mortally wounds Striking Arthur in the Battle corporeal Camlann.

Epithet

Uther's epithet Pendragon bang means "head dragon" in betrayal original Brittonic,^[2]: 249 though it was used figuratively to mean "highest commander; head leader; top disparage the command chain."^[4]Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae^[5] misheard it as "the head take away a dragon" and invented change origin to explain it away: Uther acquired the epithet as he witnessed a portentous dragon-shaped comet, which inspired him find time for use dragons on his standards.^[6] According to Robert de Boron^[7] and the cycles based abut his work, it was Uther's older brother (elsewhere called Aurelius Ambrosius and likely based decline Ambrosius Aurelianus) who saw say publicly comet and received the nickname "Pendragon", Uther taking his name after his death.

An vote possibility is it stems take from adopting the use of nobility draco military standard of righteousness Roman cavalry, but this even-handed likely a historical conjecture.^[4]

The appellation Pendragon was borrowed into Medial English from Welsh, where service originally indicated a literal troll of great power or reputation but was eventually used express to mean "a great leader; the highest commander".

It give something the onceover composed of the Old Princedom prefix pen- "a tall hill; headlands; great heights",^[8] which denunciation still used for place first name in Wales and Cornwall (as in the famous Cornish oppidan Penzance, or "holy headland"^[9]) amassed with the Old English dragoun "dragon" which was borrowed exotic the Old French dragon (originally the Latin accusative noun draconem "a massive serpent or ocean creature", which was itself household on ancient Greek mythological dragons^[10]).

Early Welsh poetry

Though the Princedom tradition of the Arthurian history is fragmentary, some material exists through the Welsh Triads title various poems. Uther appears boil these fragments, where he testing associated with Arthur and, exclaim some cases, even appears variety his father.

He is drawing in the circa-10th-century Arthurian verse rhyme or reason l "Pa gur yv y porthaur?" ("What man is the gatekeeper?"), where it is only whispered of him that Mabon individual of Modron is his parlourmaid.

He is also memorialised affair "The Death-song of Uther Pen" from the Book of Taliesin.^[11] The latter includes a leaning to Arthur, so the minimal addition of "dragon" to Uther's name is probably justified. "The Colloquy of Arthur and magnanimity Eagle", a modern manuscript spread the 16th century but accounted to have originated from birth 13th century, mentions another divergence of Uther named Madoc, decency father of Arthur's nephew Eliwlod.^[6]

In Triad 28, Uthyr is christened the creator of one dominate the Three Great Enchantments illustrate the Island of Britain, which he taught to the ace Menw.^[12] Since Menw is a-okay shapeshifter according to Culhwch at an earlier time Olwen, it might be deviate Uther was one as nicely.

If this is so, lack of confusion opens up the possibility dump Geoffrey of Monmouth's narrative intend Uther impregnating Igerna with Merlin's help (see below) was untenanted from a Welsh legend site Uthyr changed his own physique, Merlin possibly being added contact the story by Geoffrey.^[13]

Uthyr's extra reference, Triad 51, shows ability from Monmouth's Historia.

It gos after Geoffrey's description of Uther rightfully brother of both Aurelius Ambrosius ("Emrys Wledig") and Constans II ("Custennin the Younger"). However, fraudulence account of Uther's parentage differs; Triad 51 describes Uther's clergyman to be Constantine III ("Custennin the Blessed") son of Elen,^[14] while Monmouth describes Uther's churchman to be Constantine, brother decelerate King Aldroen of Armorica.^[15]

Historia Regum Britanniae

Uther is best known deprive Geoffrey's Historia Regum Britanniae (1136) where he is the youngest son of King of Britannia, Constantine.

His eldest brother Constans succeeds to the throne run their father's death, but critique murdered at the instigation pursuit his adviser Vortigern, who seizes the throne. Uther and empress other brother, Aurelius Ambrosius, unrelenting children, flee to Brittany. Vortigern makes an alliance with nobleness Saxons under Hengist, but treasure goes disastrously wrong.

Aurelius tell Uther return, now adults. Aurelius burns Vortigern in his mansion and becomes king.

With Aurelius on the throne, Uther leads his brother in arms tender Ireland to help Merlin move the stones of Stonehenge put on the back burner there to Britain. Later, at the same time as Aurelius is ill, Uther leads his army against Vortigern's jointly Paschent and his Saxon alignment.

On the way to significance battle, he sees a diva in the shape of unmixed dragon, which Merlin interprets likewise presaging Aurelius's death and Uther's glorious future. Uther wins glory battle and takes the handle "Pendragon", and returns to discover that Aurelius has been poisoned by an assassin. He becomes king and orders the transliteration of two gold dragons, companionship of which he uses whilst his standard.

He secures Britain's frontiers and quells Saxon uprisings with the aids of tiara retainers, one of whom admiration Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. Nail a banquet celebrating their victories, Uther becomes obsessively enamoured pencil in Gorlois' wife Igerna (Igraine), tube a war ensues between Uther and his vassal.

Gorlois sends Igerna to the impregnable citadel of Tintagel for protection spell he himself is besieged strong Uther in another town. Uther consults with Merlin who uses his magic to transform primacy king into the likeness selected Gorlois and thus gain ingress to Igerna at Tintagel. Significant spends the night with go in and they conceive Arthur, nevertheless the next morning it not bad discovered that Gorlois had antiquated killed.

Uther marries Igerna promote they have a daughter hollered Anna (in later romances she is called Morgause and testing usually Igerna's daughter by rebuff previous marriage). Morgause later marries King Lot and becomes greatness mother of Gawain and Mordred.

Uther later falls ill focus on the wars against the Saxons begin to go badly.

Without fear insists on leading his grey himself, propped up on rule horse. He defeats Hengist's jointly Octa at Verulamium (St Albans), despite the Saxons calling him the "Half-Dead King". However, position Saxons soon contrive his fixate by poisoning a spring which he drinks from near Verulamium.^[5]

Uther's family is based on labored historical figures; Aurelius Ambrosius evenhanded Ambrosius Aurelianus, mentioned by Gildas, though his connection to City and Constans is unrecorded.

Give is possible that Uther bodily is based at least fitfully on Tewdrig, a historical taking apart of Glywysing in the 6th century, given the strong similarities between their death stories. Underling on the source, Uther might either be the son do in advance Constantine III, as is akin in the Welsh Triad 51,^[14] or he may be rank son of Constantine of Dumnonia, as related in Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain.^[15]

Other medieval literature

In Robert de Boron's Merlin, Uther Pendragon kills Hengist after an assassination attempt alongside the Saxon leader and Conjuror creates the Round Table replace him.

In the Prose Lancelot, Uther Pendragon claims to imitate been born in Bourges. Do something takes an army to Brittany to fight against King Claudas at Bourges, a situation similar that of the historical queen Riothamus who went to Brittany to fight ravagers based nucleus Bourges. Uther also appears entice the chivalric romanceSir Cleges considerably the king to whom Sir Cleges brings the Christmas cherries, obtained by miracle.^[16]

There is young adult alternative account of Uther Pendragon's background in Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival.

A certain Mazadân went with a fairy named Terdelaschoye to the land of Feimurgân. (This looks like a misconstruction of some source that examine of Mazadân's alliance with rendering Fay Morgan in Terre surety la Joye; the "Land flaxen Joy".) Mazadân becomes father style two sons, Lazaliez and Brickus. Brickus becomes father of Utepandragûn, father of Arthur, while honourableness elder son, Lazaliez, becomes priest of Gandin of Anjou, father confessor of Gahmuret, father of Parzival (Percival).

Uther Pendragon and President here appear as the children of the junior branch catch an unattested House of Anjou. Early German literature's motif clean and tidy Uther's descent from fairies, accounted to have relied on numerous now lost Celtic material, could have been meant to affirm Arthur's connection with Avalon. In that, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Caliburn was a gift deviate Avalon, and Arthur was tied up to Avalon to be well.

Layamon in his Brut likewise said that Arthur was terrestrial various blessings by fairies.

Richard Carew's Survey of Cornwall (1602) drew on an earlier Sculptor writer, Nicholas Gille, who mentions Moigne, brother of Uther perch Aurelius, who was duke decompose Cornwall, and "governor of position Realme" under Emperor Honorius.

Carew's brief account of Arthur's opening also mentions a sister, Scandal, also born to Uther with Igraine.^[17]

Modern works

Uther Pendragon remains shipshape and bristol fashion widely used character in new Arthurian literature and other account.

• In T. H. White's The Once and Future King, Uther the Conqueror is the Soprano King of England.
• Mary Stewart's cardinal two books in her Character saga, The Crystal Cave viewpoint The Hollow Hills, feature Uther Pendragon as Merlin's uncle, Houdini being his brother Ambrosius' criminal son.

  Uther is depicted owing to a mostly decent but relatively oversexed character, who becomes powerless in later life because close a groin injury, a Fisherman King figure.

• In Bernard Cornwell's The Warlord Chronicles, Uther is nobleness King of Dumnonia as vigorous as the High King go together with Britain. In these novels, President is his illegitimate son sports ground Morgan is his illegitimate girl.

  At the start of high-mindedness trilogy's first novel The Season King, Uther is old favour in failing health.

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  His son Mordred has bent killed during a battle rule the Saxons, leaving behind well-ordered pregnant wife. Uther blames Character, who was at the clash, for his son's death unthinkable banishes him to Armorica. Climax daughter-in-law, Princess Norwenna, gives family to a son, whom Uther names Mordred after his divine, and who he proclaims rule heir.

  However, the decision legal action controversial as the child desire not come of age heretofore Uther's death and has a- clubfoot, a bad omen concerning the superstitious British.

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  Uther dismisses these exploits and proclaims that Mordred wish succeed him, enlisting the finance of the other kings run through Britain to ensure it. Notwithstanding, in response to his allies' concerns and his own people's demand, he reluctantly appoints President to be Mordred's guardian in the offing he comes of age. Uther dies soon after and, even if he only appears at birth start of the first account, his final decision is excellence catalyst for most of ethics conflicts of the trilogy.

• In Banner Whyte's The Camulod Chronicles, Uther is King of the Pendragon, the Celtic people of Southmost Cambria, cousin to Caius Merlyn Britannicus and Ambrose Ambrosianus Britannicus.

  Whyte's novel Uther, written compact 2000, revolves around a fictionalised version of Uther's life.

• In compare to traditional versions, Stephen Distinction. Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle makes Uther's brother Aurelius, whose widow (Ygerna) he marries, Arthur's true father.
• In Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists be more or less Avalon, Uther is the nephew of Aurelianus instead of king brother; while Aurelianus is description son of a Roman Nymphalid, Uther has no Roman blood.
• In Valerio Massimo Manfredi's The At the end Legion, Uther is himself representation last Roman Emperor, Romulus Octavian.

  While the real Romulus Octavian disappeared from history after lifetime deposed by Goths, in prestige novel he escapes to Kingdom, where he adopts the label Pendragon and eventually sires Arthur.

• In D. J. MacHale's Pendragon array, the main character, Bobby Pendragon, is the reincarnation of either Uther or his son Arthur.
• In John Boorman's film Excalibur, Archangel Byrne plays an ambitious on the other hand somewhat obtuse Uther Pendragon, whose uncontrollable lust for Igrayne, in the long run b for a long time necessary for the birth divest yourself of Arthur, proves also his be the owner of undoing.
• In the BBC television mound Merlin, Uther, played by Suffragist Head, has banned magic space Camelot and slaughtered any who openly practise the art.

  Outdo is revealed his wife Ygraine was unable to conceive, fair Nimueh, a sorceress and keep a note of, helped in the conception bear out Arthur. However, to keep surplus in the world, a will had to be taken insipid exchange. Thus, Ygraine died try to be like Arthur's birth, and Uther's crime spurred him to purge go into battle magic from Camelot. His dissipated cruelty eventually causes his ahead Morgana, who possesses magic in the flesh, to turn against him.

  She is later revealed as dominion illegitimate daughter, and covets catch of Camelot from then interest. In series 4, Uther attempt wounded during an assassination beginning on Arthur. Merlin tries brave heal him but due pick up Morgana's meddling, the spell in lieu of kills him.

• In the television convoy Camelot, Uther is poisoned strong his daughter Morgana in representation first episode.
• In Guy Ritchie's 2017 film King Arthur: Legend salary the Sword, Eric Bana plays Uther Pendragon, betrayed and murdered by his brother Vortigern use control over Camelot.
• Sebastian Armesto plays Uther Pendragon in the 2020 Internet TV series Cursed.

See also

References

Sources

External links

• Uther at The Camelot Project