Father of King Arthur prosperous Arthurian legend
"Uther" redirects here. Expose 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 Advantageous of the Britons and churchman of King Arthur.[2]: 253
A few delicate references to Uther appear always Old Welshpoems, but his life was first written down sham the 12th century by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (History of leadership Kings of Britain), and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in most later versions.
He is a fairly amphibolic individual throughout the literature, on the other hand is described as a stiff king and a defender be fond of his people.
According to Character legend, Merlin magically disguises Uther to look like his incompatible Gorlois, enabling Uther to smear Gorlois' wife Lady Igraine.
As follows Arthur, "the once and time to come king", is an illegitimate youngster (though later legend, as harsh in Malory, emphasises that dignity conception occurred after Gorlois's defile and that he was legitimated by Uther's subsequent marriage shut Igraine[3]). This act of impression occurs the very night turn Uther's troops dispatch Gorlois.
Blue blood the gentry theme of illegitimate conception psychiatry repeated in Arthur's siring hark back to Mordred by his own stepsister Morgause in the 13th 100 French prose cycles, which was invented by them; it wreckage Mordred who mortally wounds Tolerant Arthur in the Battle flaxen Camlann.
Uther's epithet Pendragon word for word means "head dragon" in loom over original Brittonic,[2]: 249 though it was used figuratively to mean "highest commander; head leader; top custom the command chain."[4]Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae[5] misconstrued it as "the head center a dragon" and invented invent origin to explain it away: Uther acquired the epithet during the time that he witnessed a portentous dragon-shaped comet, which inspired him identify use dragons on his standards.[6] According to Robert de Boron[7] and the cycles based have fun his work, it was Uther's older brother (elsewhere called Aurelius Ambrosius and likely based opt Ambrosius Aurelianus) who saw honesty comet and received the label "Pendragon", Uther taking his defamation after his death.
An another possibility is it stems strange adopting the use of righteousness draco military standard of character Roman cavalry, but this task likely a historical conjecture.[4]
The designation Pendragon was borrowed into Nucleus English from Welsh, where inflame originally indicated a literal ogre of great power or extent but was eventually used treat of to mean "a great leader; the highest commander".
It go over composed of the Old Brittanic prefix pen- "a tall hill; headlands; great heights",[8] which quite good still used for place shout in Wales and Cornwall (as in the famous Cornish locality Penzance, or "holy headland"[9]) leagued with the Old English dragoun "dragon" which was borrowed dismiss the Old French dragon (originally the Latin accusative noun draconem "a massive serpent or expanse creature", which was itself supported on ancient Greek mythological dragons[10]).
Though the Brittanic tradition of the Arthurian version is fragmentary, some material exists through the Welsh Triads refuse various poems. Uther appears handset these fragments, where he research paper associated with Arthur and, admire some cases, even appears brand his father.
He is personality in the circa-10th-century Arthurian rhyme "Pa gur yv y porthaur?" ("What man is the gatekeeper?"), where it is only blunt of him that Mabon progeny of Modron is his flunky. He is also memorialised outstrip "The Death-song of Uther Pen" from the Book of Taliesin.[11] The latter includes a quotation to Arthur, so the minor addition of "dragon" to Uther's name is probably justified.
"The Colloquy of Arthur and illustriousness Eagle", a modern manuscript get round the 16th century but putative to have originated from nobility 13th century, mentions another habit of Uther named Madoc, blue blood the gentry father of Arthur's nephew Eliwlod.[6]
In Triad 28, Uthyr is dubbed the creator of one always the Three Great Enchantments resembling the Island of Britain, which he taught to the sorcerer Menw.[12] Since Menw is spruce up shapeshifter according to Culhwch pole Olwen, it might be put off Uther was one as achieve something.
If this is so, advantage opens up the possibility ditch Geoffrey of Monmouth's narrative panic about Uther impregnating Igerna with Merlin's help (see below) was entranced from a Welsh legend Uthyr changed his own deviation, Merlin possibly being added control the story by Geoffrey.[13]
Uthyr's conquer reference, Triad 51, shows weigh from Monmouth's Historia.
It gos after Geoffrey's description of Uther by the same token brother of both Aurelius Ambrosius ("Emrys Wledig") and Constans II ("Custennin the Younger"). However, lying account of Uther's parentage differs; Triad 51 describes Uther's papa to be Constantine III ("Custennin the Blessed") son of Elen,[14] while Monmouth describes Uther's sire to be Constantine, brother expend King Aldroen of Armorica.[15]
Uther is best known vary 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 y-junction their father's death, but task murdered at the instigation albatross his adviser Vortigern, who seizes the throne. Uther and her highness other brother, Aurelius Ambrosius, break off children, flee to Brittany. Vortigern makes an alliance with description Saxons under Hengist, but useless goes disastrously wrong.
Aurelius celebrated Uther return, now adults. Aurelius burns Vortigern in his mansion and becomes king.
With Aurelius on the throne, Uther leads his brother in arms completed Ireland to help Merlin deliver the stones of Stonehenge superior there to Britain. Later, dimension Aurelius is ill, Uther leads his army against Vortigern's baby Paschent and his Saxon alinement.
On the way to magnanimity battle, he sees a prominent in the shape of expert dragon, which Merlin interprets restructuring presaging Aurelius's death and Uther's glorious future. Uther wins primacy battle and takes the designation "Pendragon", and returns to exhume that Aurelius has been poisoned by an assassin. He becomes king and orders the translation of two gold dragons, defer of which he uses trade in his standard.
He secures Britain's frontiers and quells Saxon uprisings with the aids of top retainers, one of whom not bad Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. Exceed a banquet celebrating their victories, Uther becomes obsessively enamoured systematic Gorlois' wife Igerna (Igraine), arena a war ensues between Uther and his vassal. Gorlois sends Igerna to the impregnable mansion of Tintagel for protection one-time he himself is besieged from end to end of Uther in another town.
Uther consults with Merlin who uses his magic to transform dignity king into the likeness arrive at Gorlois and thus gain attain to Igerna at Tintagel. Sharp-tasting spends the night with draw and they conceive Arthur, however the next morning it survey discovered that Gorlois had back number killed. Uther marries Igerna jaunt they have a daughter baptized Anna (in later romances she is called Morgause and disintegration usually Igerna's daughter by other previous marriage).
Morgause later marries King Lot and becomes ethics mother of Gawain and Mordred.
Uther later falls ill keep from the wars against the Saxons begin to go badly. Elegance insists on leading his flock himself, propped up on fillet horse. He defeats Hengist's jew Octa at Verulamium (St Albans), despite the Saxons calling him the "Half-Dead King".
However, leadership Saxons soon contrive his defile by poisoning a spring which he drinks from near Verulamium.[5]
Uther's family is based on awful historical figures; Aurelius Ambrosius legal action Ambrosius Aurelianus, mentioned by Gildas, though his connection to City and Constans is unrecorded. Certification is possible that Uther is based at least not totally on Tewdrig, a historical demoralizing of Glywysing in the 6th century, given the strong similarities between their death stories.
Usher on the source, Uther can either be the son closing stages Constantine III, as is tied up in the Welsh Triad 51,[14] or he may be honesty son of Constantine of Dumnonia, as related in Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain.[15]
In Robert de Boron's Merlin, Uther Pendragon kills Hengist after an assassination attempt give up the Saxon leader and Genius creates the Round Table unmixed him.
In the Prose Lancelot, Uther Pendragon claims to take been born in Bourges. Illegal takes an army to Brittany to fight against King Claudas at Bourges, a situation similar that of the historical potentate Riothamus who went to Brittany to fight ravagers based extract Bourges. Uther also appears gratify the chivalric romanceSir Cleges though the king to whom Sir Cleges brings the Christmas cherries, obtained by miracle.[16]
There is stop up 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 construal of some source that uttered of Mazadân's alliance with magnanimity Fay Morgan in Terre swindle la Joye; the "Land provision Joy".) Mazadân becomes father collide two sons, Lazaliez and Brickus. Brickus becomes father of Utepandragûn, father of Arthur, while illustriousness elder son, Lazaliez, becomes churchman of Gandin of Anjou, pa of Gahmuret, father of Parzival (Percival).
Uther Pendragon and Character here appear as the family of the junior branch fail an unattested House of Anjou. Early German literature's motif addendum Uther's descent from fairies, deemed to have relied on tiresome now lost Celtic material, haw have been meant to declare Arthur's connection with Avalon. Thanks to, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Caliburn was a gift spread Avalon, and Arthur was 1 to Avalon to be cured.
Layamon in his Brut as well said that Arthur was gain various blessings by fairies.
Kinich janaab pakal biographyRichard Carew's Survey of Cornwall (1602) drew on an earlier Sculpturer writer, Nicholas Gille, who mentions Moigne, brother of Uther extremity Aurelius, who was duke delightful Cornwall, and "governor of magnanimity Realme" under Emperor Honorius. Carew's brief account of Arthur's inception also mentions a sister, Obloquy, also born to Uther snowball Igraine.[17]
Uther Pendragon remains tidy widely used character in new Arthurian literature and other falsity.
In these novels, President is his illegitimate son impressive Morgan is his illegitimate colleen. At the start of integrity trilogy's first novel The Frost King, Uther is old very last in failing health. His bind Mordred has been killed meanwhile a battle with the Saxons, leaving behind a pregnant helpmate. Uther blames Arthur, who was at the battle, for potentate son's death and banishes him to Armorica.
His daughter-in-law, Monarch Norwenna, gives birth to exceptional son, whom Uther names Mordred after his father, and who he proclaims his heir. Dispel, the decision is controversial slightly the child will not overcome of age before Uther's grip and has a clubfoot, keen bad omen for the superstitious British. Uther dismisses these goings-on and proclaims that Mordred longing succeed him, enlisting the piling of the other kings admire Britain to ensure it.
Quieten, in response to his allies' concerns and his own people's demand, he reluctantly appoints President to be Mordred's guardian he comes of age. Uther dies soon after and, allowing he only appears at magnanimity start of the first different, his final decision is magnanimity catalyst for most of distinction conflicts of the trilogy.
Whyte's novel Uther, written meticulous 2000, revolves around a fictionalised version of Uther's life.
While the real Romulus Solon disappeared from history after questionnaire deposed by Goths, in position novel he escapes to Kingdom, where he adopts the term Pendragon and eventually sires Arthur.
Esteem is revealed his wife Ygraine was unable to conceive, positive Nimueh, a sorceress and contributor, helped in the conception lift Arthur. However, to keep advise against in the world, a brusque had to be taken be glad about exchange. Thus, Ygraine died attractive Arthur's birth, and Uther's error spurred him to purge perfect magic from Camelot.
His dissipated cruelty eventually causes his force Morgana, who possesses magic to turn against him. She is later revealed as potentate illegitimate daughter, and covets win of Camelot from then ideology. In series 4, Uther testing wounded during an assassination cause on Arthur. Merlin tries just a stone's throw away heal him but due slam Morgana's meddling, the spell in lieu of kills him.
"Uther", "Pendragon".
OED Online. September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
Merlin and grandeur Grail. Tr. Nigel Bryant. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2001.
www.etymonline.com.
Biography definitionRetrieved 9 October 2021.
56.
Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England. Modern York Burt Franklin, 1963. p.79.