Mordred or Modred (Welsh: Medraut) is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his half-sister Morgause. In earlier literature, he was considered Morgause (Anna)'s legitimate son with her husband King Lot of Orkney. His brothers or half-brothers are Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth. Mordred refers to two topics. ... Image File history File links Mordred File links The following pages link to this file: Mordred ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation. ... For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... Commanders King Arthur † Mordred † How Mordred was Slain by Arthur, and How by Him Arthur was Hurt to the Death, by Arthur Rackham “Camlann” redirects here. ... Illegitimacy is the status that was once commonly ascribed to individuals born to parents who were not married. ... In Arthurian legend, Morgause or Morgase (also known as Anna-Morgause or Ann-Morgause) is the half-sister of King Arthur who slept with him and produced Mordred, the incestuous heir that would lead to Camelots downfall. ... In Arthurian Legend, Lot (or Loth) is king of Lothian, Orkney, and sometimes Norway. ... Location Geography Area Ranked 16th  - Total 990 km²  - % Water  ? Admin HQ Kirkwall ISO 3166-2 GB-ORK ONS code 00RA Demographics Population Ranked 32nd  - Total (2005) 19,590  - Density 20 / km² Scottish Gaelic  - Total () {{{Scottish council Gaelic Speakers}}} Politics Orkney Islands Council http://www. ... Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain (Gwalchmei, Gawan, Gauvain, Walewein etc. ... Sir Agravain or Sir Agravaine was a knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. ... Gaheris is a figure of Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table, and a son of Morgause and King Lot of Orkney and Lothian. ... For other uses, see Gareth (disambiguation). ...

Mordred's background

The illegitimacy angle was introduced in the Lancelot-Grail (Vulgate) Cycle, and has been taken up in most subsequent versions. In those versions, the incest is usually accidental; the participants are ignorant of their kinship. In one version Morgause mistakes Arthur for her husband visiting her in the night. In another Arthur rapes his sister, dominated by lust for her. In any case the discovery of the incest is usually disastrous; after hearing a prophecy that a child born on May Day (as Mordred was) will destroy him and his kingdom, Arthur rounds up all the noble babies born during May and sends them away on a rickety ship. The ship sinks, and the only child to survive is Mordred, who is rescued and eventually returned to his parents. The Lancelot-Grail, also known as the prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is a major source of Arthurian legend. ... May Day is May 1, and refers to any of several holidays celebrated on this day. ...

Mordred in Arthurian legend

Mordred appears very early in Arthurian literature. The first mention of him, as Medraut, occurs in the Annales Cambriae entry for the year 537:^[1] Wikisource has original text related to this article: Welsh_Annals Annales Cambriae: page view from MS. A Annales Cambriae, or The Annals of Wales, is the name given to a complex of Cambro-Latin chronicles deriving ultimately from a text compiled from diverse sources at St Davids in Dyfed, Wales, not... Events Pope Silverius deposed by Belisarius at the order of Justinian, who appoints as his successor Pope Vigilius. ...

The strife of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut fell.

The Annales themselves were completed between 960–970; though their authors drew on older material.^[2] Mordred was associated with Camlann even at that early date, but as Leslie Alcock points out this brief entry gives no information as to whether he killed or was killed by Arthur, or even if he was fighting against him; the reader assumes this in the light of later tradition.^[3] But even if he wasn't the notorious villain he would later become, his appearances in the Welsh Triads and genealogies show he was at least a well known personage. Events Edgar the Peaceable crowned King of England. ... Events Major volcano eruption in Mashu Japan Devastating decade long famine begins in France Byzantine Emperor John I successfully defends the Eastern Roman Empire from massive barbarian invasion Construction completed on Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, worlds oldest Islamic university Births Leif Ericson, Norse explorer Seyyed Razi, important Muslim... The Welsh Triads (Welsh, Trioedd Ynys Prydein) is used to describe any of the related Medieval collection of groupings of three that preserve a major portion of Welsh folklore and Welsh literature. ... Genealogy (from Greek: γενεα, genea, family; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. ...

The earliest full account of Mordred is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, where he debuts already in his traitorous role. Geoffrey introduced the figure of Mordred to the world beyond Wales, detailing that Arthur left Mordred in charge of his throne as he crossed the English Channel to wage war on Emperor Lucius of Rome. During Arthur's absence Mordred crowns himself king and marries Guinevere, forcing Arthur to return to Britain. The Battle of Camlann is fought, and Mordred dies while Arthur is taken to Avalon. Arthur's successor, Constantine III of Britain, has to deal with the remainder of Mordred's army, led by his sons (see sons of Mordred). Geoffrey of Monmouth (in Welsh: Gruffudd ap Arthur or Sieffre o Fynwy) (c. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: History of the Kings of Britain Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae (English: The History of the Kings of Britain) is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written around 1136. ... This article is about the country. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: , the sleeve) is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... Lucius Tiberius (sometimes Lucius Hiberius, or just simply Lucius) is a fictional Roman Emperor from Arthurian legend appearing first in Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guinevere (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Avalon (disambiguation). ... Constantine III was a legendary king of the Britons as accounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. ... The two sons of Sir Mordred appear in Arthurian legend as early as Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae, though they are usually not named. ...

A number of Welsh sources also refer to Medraut, usually in relation to Camlann. One triad, based on Geoffrey's Historia, provides an account of his betrayal of Arthur;^[4] in another, he is described as the author of one of the "Three Unrestrained Ravagings of the Isle of Britain" – he came to Arthur's court at Kelliwic in Cornwall, devoured all of the food and drink, and even dragged Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere) from her throne and beat her.^[5] Medraut is never considered Arthur's son in Welsh texts, only his nephew, though The Dream of Rhonabwy mentions that the king had been his foster father. However, Mordred's later characterization as the king's villainous son has a precedent in the figure of Amr, a son of Arthur's known from only two references. The more important of these, found in an appendix to the Historia Britonum, describes his marvelous grave beside the Herefordshire spring where he had been slain by his own father in some unchronicled tragedy.^[6][7] What connection exists between the stories of Amr and Mordred, if there is one, has never been satisfactorily explained. Celliwig or Kelliwic, is perhaps the earliest named location for the court of King Arthur. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guinevere (disambiguation). ... The Dream of Rhonabwy (Welsh: Breuddwyd Rhonabwy) is a Middle Welsh prose romance. ... Amhar (also called Amr, Amir, or Anir) is a son of King Arthur mentioned in an appendix to the Historia Britonum, killed by his own father in an unrecorded conflict and buried in Ercing (Archenfield in Herefordshire). ... The Historia Britonum, or The History of the Britons, is a historical work that was first written sometime shortly after AD 820, and exists in several recensions of varying difference. ... Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county and unitary district (known as County of Herefordshire) in the West Midlands region of England. ...

In Geoffrey and certain other sources such as the Alliterative Morte Arthure, Mordred marries Guinevere, seemingly consensually, after he steals the throne. However, in later writings like the Lancelot-Grail Cycle and Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, Guinevere is not treated as a traitor and she flees Mordred's proposal and hides in the Tower of London. Adultery is still tied to her role in these later romances, however, but Mordred has been replaced with Lancelot. The Alliterative Morte Arthure is a 4346 line Middle English poem, retelling the latter part of the legend of King Arthur. ... The Lancelot-Grail, also known as the prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is a major source of Arthurian legend. ... Sir Thomas Malory (c. ... The Last Sleep of Arthur by Edward Burne-Jones Le Morte dArthur (spelled Le Morte Darthur in the first printing and also in some modern editions, Middle French for la mort dArthur, the death of Arthur) is Sir Thomas Malorys compilation of some French and English Arthurian... For other uses, see Tower of London (disambiguation) Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress The Tower of London, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically simply as The Tower), is an historic monument in central London, England on the north bank of the River Thames. ... For other uses, see Lancelot (disambiguation) and Sir Lancelot (disambiguation). ...

Geoffrey and the Lancelot-Grail Cycle have Mordred being succeeded by his two sons. In Geoffrey, Arthur's successor Constantine tracks them down and kills them in their sanctuaries; in the Lancelot-Grail, the elder son, Melehan, is killed by Bors, while Lancelot slays his brother. In Arthurian Legend, Sir Bors was a Knight of the Round Table. ...

Mordred in later works

Virtually everywhere Mordred appears, his name is synonymous with treachery, a fate shared by Ganelon from the Song of Roland. A few works of the Middle Ages and today, however, portray Mordred as less a traitor and more a conflicted opportunist, or even a victim of fate. The 14th century Scottish chronicler John of Fordun even claimed that Mordred was the rightful heir to the throne of Britain, as Arthur was illegitimate (in his account, Mordred was the legitimate son of Lot and Anna.) This sentiment was elaborated upon by Walter Bower and by Hector Boece, who in his Historia Gentis Scotorum goes so far as to say Arthur and Gawain were traitors and villains who stole the throne from Mordred. In the Matter of France, Ganelon is the knight who betrayed Charlemagnes army to the Muslims, leading to the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. ... The Song of Roland (La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th century Old French epic poem about the Battle of Roncevaux Pass (or Roncesvalles) fought by Roland of the Brittany Marches and his fellow paladins. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... This article is about the country. ... John of Fordun (d. ... Walter Bower or Bowmaker (1385-1449), Scottish chronicler, was born about 1385 at Haddington, East Lothian. ... Hector Boece (or Hector Boyce) (1465-1536) was a Scottish philosopher. ...

Some modern Arthurian works such as Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon have Morgause's sister Morgan le Fay as Mordred's mother. Mordred remains a major villain in many modern takes on the legend, including John Boorman's film Excalibur, T.H. White's novel The Once and Future King (where Mordred plays the role of a bitter but successful populist and faux-Bolshevik) and Hal Foster's popular comic strip Prince Valiant (and the animated television series based on it, The Legend of Prince Valiant). In "Gravity's Angels" Michael Swanwick has Mordred as Merlin's coke-snorting bastard son, summoning up his father to save the world. Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley (June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series, often with a feminist outlook. ... The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradleys novel, tells the King Arthur myth from a feminist point of view. ... Morgan le Fay, by Anthony Frederick Sandys (1829 - 1904), 1864 (Birmingham Art Gallery): A spell-brewing Morgaine distinctly of Tennysons generation Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgaine, Morgain, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress and sometime antagonist of King Arthur and Guinevere in the Arthurian legend. ... John Boorman (born January 18, 1933 in Shepperton, Surrey, United Kingdom), is a British filmmaker, currently based in Ireland, best known for his feature films such as Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur, and The General. ... Excalibur is a 1981 film which retells the legend of King Arthur. ... Terence Hanbury White (May 29, 1906 - January 17, 1964) was a writer. ... The Once and Future King is an Arthurian fantasy novel written by T.H. White. ... For other uses, see Bolshevik (disambiguation). ... Harold Rudolph Foster (August 18, 1892 in Halifax, Nova Scotia - July 25, 1982) created the comic Prince Valiant. ... This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ... Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a comic strip created by Hal Foster. ... An animated series or cartoon series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... The Legend of Prince Valiant is an American animated television series based on the Prince Valiant comic strip created by Hal Foster. ... At the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow, August 2005 Michael Swanwick (born November 18, 1950) is an American science fiction author. ... For other uses, see Merlin (disambiguation). ...

Other works treat the character differently. The Victorian poet George Augustus Simcox wrote a poem titled Mordred My Master from the perspective of Mordred's dog. Mary Stewart's The Wicked Day is told from his perspective and portrays him more sympathetically than usual, as a victim of fate and the machinations of his mother, whom Stewart identifies as Morgause, illegitimate daughter of Uther. Elizabeth Wein's The Winter Prince portrays him similarly, as a conflicted young man doomed by his mother's manipulations and his own jealousy of his legitimate half-brother Lleu. Catherine Christian's The Pendragon makes him a half-Saxon bastard. In Bernard Cornwell's The Warlord Chronicles, Mordred is the legitimate grandson and heir of Uther Pendragon, and Arthur serves as the kingdom's regent during his minority. In Stephen R. Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle, Medraut is even half-Atlantean (as is Myrddin), since Lawhead makes his mother Morgian (here Myrddin's aunt) a refugee from Atlantis. In Vivian Vande Velde's The Book of Mordred, Mordred is portrayed as the protagonist of the story, killing an evil wizard and saving a telepathic girl, her mother, and a witch named Nimue, who was Merlin's student. Similarly, Douglas Clegg's Mordred, Bastard Son portrays the character as not only sympathetic but heroic (he and Lancelot save Guinevere from a murderous plot), and in a new twist, he is Lancelot's lover. In Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles Mordred is the illegitimate son of Arthur, but is a good son who is not treacherous and is unjustly blamed for his father's fall in rumors after the fact. Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... George Augustus Simcox (1841–1905) was a British classical scholar and poet. ... For the Canadian freestyle swimmer, see Mary Stewart (swimmer). ... The Wicked Day is a novel written by Mary Stewart. ... The Winter Prince is Elizabeth Weins retelling of the Aurthurian story of Mordred (here Medraut), detailing Medrauts complicated, intense relationship with his legitimate half-brother Lleu. ... For other uses, see Saxon (disambiguation). ... Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English historical novelist. ... The Warlord Chronicles is a trilogy of books written by Bernard Cornwell about Arthurian Britain. ... Uther Pendragon (French: Uter Pendragon; Welsh: Wthyr Bendragon, Uthr Bendragon, Uthyr Pendraeg) is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur. ... Regent, from the Latin, a person selected to administer a state because the ruler is a minor or is not present or debilitated. ... Stephen R. Lawhead (born July 2, 1950) is an American writer known for novels, both fantasy and science fiction and more recently his works of historical fiction. ... The Pendragon Cycle is a series of fantasy or semi-historical books based on the Arthurian legend, written by Stephen R. Lawhead. ... Merlin Ambrosius (Welsh: Myrddin Emrys (Merlin the Wise); also known as Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin the Wild), Merlin Caledonensis (Scottish Merlin), Merlinus, and Merlyn) is the personage best known as the mighty wizard featured in Arthurian legends, starting with Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae. ... For other uses, see Atlantis (disambiguation). ... The cover of Curses, Inc. ... In Arthurian legend, The Lady of the Lake gave King Arthur the sword known as Excalibur. ... For other uses, see Merlin (disambiguation). ... Douglas Clegg (born 1 April 1958) is an American horror and dark fantasy author, and a pioneer in the field of e-publishing. ... Jack Whyte (Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland, 1939) is an author and writer born and raised in Scotland, but living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada since 1967. ...

Notes

See Also

‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... The Arthurian legend featured many characters, whose names often differed from version to version, and language to language. ... For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... Sir Ector (sometimes Hector, Antor, or Ectorius) is the father of Sir Kay and the foster father of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend. ... For other uses, see Guinevere (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Merlin (disambiguation). ... Morgan le Fay, by Anthony Frederick Sandys (1829 - 1904), 1864 (Birmingham Art Gallery): A spell-brewing Morgaine distinctly of Tennysons generation Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgaine, Morgain, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress and sometime antagonist of King Arthur and Guinevere in the Arthurian legend. ... In Arthurian legend, Morgause or Morgase (also known as Anna-Morgause or Ann-Morgause) is the half-sister of King Arthur who slept with him and produced Mordred, the incestuous heir that would lead to Camelots downfall. ... Uther Pendragon (French: Uter Pendragon; Welsh: Wthyr Bendragon, Uthr Bendragon, Uthyr Pendraeg) is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur. ... For the film, see Knights of the Round Table (film). ... King Arthur presides the Round Table. ... Sir Agravain or Sir Agravaine was a knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. ... How Sir Bedivere Cast the Sword Excalibur into the Water. ... In Arthurian Legend, Sir Bors was a Knight of the Round Table. ... Sir Calogrenant, sometimes known in English as Colgrevance, is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. ... Gaheris is a figure of Arthurian legend, a knight of the Round Table, and a son of Morgause and King Lot of Orkney and Lothian. ... A portrait of Sir Galahad by George Frederick Watts. ... For other uses, see Gareth (disambiguation). ... Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain (Gwalchmei, Gawan, Gauvain, Walewein etc. ... Geraint, with his wife Enid, from The Idylls of the King Geraint is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend, a king of Dumnonia and a valiant warrior. ... Sir Kay, son of Sir Ector, was one of the Knights of the Round Table and King Arthurs foster brother. ... Sir Lamorak was the son of King Pellinore and the brother of Sir Tor, Sir Aglovale, Sir Dornar, Sir Percival, and Dindrane. ... For other uses, see Lancelot (disambiguation) and Sir Lancelot (disambiguation). ... Palamedes, (also called Palamede, Palomides or some other variant) was a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. ... Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthurs legendary Knights of the Round Table. ... Sir Sagramore is a Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. ... This article is about the Knight of the Round Table. ... For other uses, see Excalibur (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Holy Grail (disambiguation). ... King Arthur presides the Round Table. ... The following is a list and assessment of sites and places associated with King Arthur and the Arthurian legend in general. ... For other uses, see Avalon (disambiguation). ... This article is about the mythical castle. ... Corbenic (also Carbonek and Corbin) is the name of the castle of the Holy Grail in the Lancelot-Grail cycle and Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur. ... The Arthurian legend is one of the most popular literary subjects of all time, and has been adapted numerous times in every form of media. ... This is a list of books about King Arthur, or his related world, family, friends or enemies. ... Films based on the Arthurian legend are many and varied. ...

References

• Bromwich, Rachel (2006). Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain. University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1386-8
• Lacy, Norris J. (Ed.), The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, pp. 8–9. New York: Garland. ISBN 0-8240-4377-4.
• Lacy, Norris J.; Ashe, Geoffrey; and Mancroff, Debra N. (1997). The Arthurian Handbook. New York: Garland. ISBN 0-8153-2081-7.

External links

• Profile of Mordred from Early British Kingdoms
• Mordred in literature from Early British Kingdoms
• Several accounts of Mordred's death