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. Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Sub-Roman Britain is a term derived from an archaeologists label for the material culture of Britain in Late Antiquity. ... A bronze Arthur in plate armour with visor raised and with jousting shield wearing Kastenbrust armour (early 15th century) by Peter Vischer, typical of later anachronistic depictions of Arthur. ...

A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in most later versions. He is a fairly ambiguous individual throughout the literature; he is described as a strong king and a defender of the people. Uther, through circumstances (and Merlin's help) tricks the wife of his enemy Gorlois, Lady Igraine and sleeps with her. Thus Arthur, "the once and future king," is an illegitimate child. This act of conception ironically occurs the very night Uther's troops dispatch Gorlois. This theme of illegitimate conception is repeated in Arthur's siring of Mordred on his own sister Morgause in the later prose romances. It is Mordred who will eventually mortally wound King Arthur in The Last Battle. Old Welsh (Hen Gymraeg) is the label attached to the Welsh language from the time it developed from the Brythonic language, generally thought to be in the period between the middle of the 6th century and the middle of the 7th century, until the early 12th century when it developed... Medieval Welsh literature is the medieval literature written in the Welsh language from before 1100 to the 16th century. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. ... Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniæ (English: The History of the Kings of Britain) was written around 1136. ... In the legendary tales of King Arthur, Gorlois was the Duke of Cornwall and married to the beautiful Ygerna (Igraine or Ygraine). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... // Illegitimacy is a term that was once in common use for the status of being born to parents who were not validly married to one another. ... Mordred or Modred (Welsh: Medrawd, Latin: 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. ... 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. ... Mordred or Modred (Welsh: Medrawd, Latin: 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. ... A bronze Arthur in plate armour with visor raised and with jousting shield wearing Kastenbrust armour (early 15th century) by Peter Vischer, typical of later anachronistic depictions of Arthur. ...

Epithet

Uther's epithet Pendragon means literally "head dragon" or "dragon's head", probably in a figurative sense of "chief warrior."^[1] In the early stories Uther is dubbed "Pendragon" because he witnesses a portentous dragon-shaped comet, which inspires him to use dragons on his standards; later versions attribute this to his older brother, and have Uther assume the epithet "Pendragon" in his honour when he dies. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that the section intro from the article Civil flag be merged into this article or section. ...

Early Welsh poetry

Uther is known from earlier Welsh tradition, where he is associated with Arthur and, in some cases, even appears as his father. He is mentioned in the 10th century Arthurian poem Pa gur yv y porthaur ("What man is the gatekeeper?"), ^[2] and is memorialized with "The Death-song of Uther Pen" from the Book of Taliesin.^[3]. The latter includes a reference to Arthur, so the marginal addition of "dragon" to Uther's name is probably justified. "The Colloquy of Arthur and the Eagle," a poem contemporary with but independent of Geoffrey, mentions another son of Uther named Madoc, the father of Arthur's nephew Eliwlod. ^[4] The Welsh Triads name Uther as the creator of one of the Three Great Enchantments of the Island of Britain, which he taught to the wizard Menw. ^[5] As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... Book of Taliesin (Welsh: Llyfr Taliesin) is one of the most famous Welsh manuscripts. ... In ancient Welsh texts, Eliwlod is the son of Madoc. ... 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. ... Menw, son of Teirgwaedd, is a magician in King Arthurs court in early Welsh Arthurian legend. ...

History of the Kings of Britain

Uther is best known from Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain (1136) where he is the youngest son of King Constantine II. His eldest brother Constans succeeds to the throne on their father's death, but is murdered at the instigation of his adviser Vortigern, who seizes the throne. Uther and his other brother Aurelius Ambrosius, still children, flee to Brittany. After Vortigern's alliance with the Saxons under Hengist goes disastrously wrong, Aurelius and Uther, now adults, return. Aurelius burns Vortigern in his castle and becomes king. Roman coin, with Constantine III portrayed on its face Constantine III (died 411 by September 18) was a Roman general who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in 407, abdicating in 411 (and being killed soon after). ... Constans was the eldest son of the Roman usurper Constantine III and was appointed co-emperor by him from 409 to 411. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ambrosius Aurelianus, called Aurelius Ambrosius in the Historia Regum Britanniae and elsewhere, was a leader of the Romano-British who won an important battle against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, according to Gildas. ... Historical province of Brittany, showing the main areas with their name in Breton language The traditional flag of Brittany (the Gwenn-ha-du), formerly a Breton nationalist symbol but today used as a general civic flag in the region. ... The famous parade helmet found at Sutton Hoo, probably belonging to King Raedwald of East Anglia circa 625. ... Hengest or Hengist (d. ...

With Aurelius on the throne, Uther leads his brother's army to Ireland to help Merlin bring the stones of Stonehenge from there to Britain. Later, while Aurelius is ill, Uther leads his army against Vortigern's son Paschent and his Saxon allies. On the way to the battle, he sees a comet in the shape of a dragon, which Merlin interprets as presaging Aurelius's death and Uther's glorious future. Uther wins the battle and takes the epithet "Pendragon", and returns to find that Aurelius has been poisoned by an assassin. He becomes king and orders the construction of two gold dragons, one of which he uses as his standard. He secures Britain's frontiers and quells Saxon uprisings with the aid of his retainers, one of which is Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. At a banquet celebrating their victories, Uther becomes obsessively enamoured of Gorlois' wife, Igerna (Igraine), and a war ensues between Uther and his vassal. Gorlois sends Igerna to the impregnable castle of Tintagel for protection, while he himself is besieged by Uther in another town. Uther consults with Merlin, who uses his magic to transform the king into the likeness of Gorlois and thus gain access to Igerna at Tintagel. He spends the night with her, and they conceive a son, Arthur; but the next morning it is discovered that Gorlois had been killed. Uther marries Igerna, and they have another child, a daughter called Anna. She later marries King Lot and became the mother of Gawain and Mordred (in later romances she is called Morgause, and is usually Igerna's daughter by her previous marriage). Uther later falls ill, but when the wars against the Saxons go badly he insists on leading his army himself, propped up on his horse. He defeats Hengist's son Octa at Verulamium (St Albans), despite the Saxons calling him the "Half-Dead King." However, the Saxons soon contrive his death by poisoning a spring he drinks from near Verulamium.^[6] 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 meanings of Stonehenge, see: Stonehenge (disambiguation) Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. ... Comet Hale-Bopp Comet West For other uses, see Comet (disambiguation). ... In the legendary tales of King Arthur, Gorlois was the Duke of Cornwall and married to the beautiful Ygerna (Igraine or Ygraine). ... The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first dukedom created in the peerage of England. ... Remains of Tintagel Castle Tintagel (pronounced with the stress on the second syllable; Cornish: Dintagell) is a village situated on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall, in England, UK. The village and nearby Tintagel Castle are associated with the legends surrounding King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. ... In Arthurian Legend, Lot (or Loth) is king of Lothian, Orkney, and sometimes Norway. ... Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain (Gwalchmei, Gawan, Gauvain, Walewein etc. ... Mordred or Modred (Welsh: Medrawd, Latin: 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. ... 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. ... Octa or Octha (c. ... Remains of the city walls Verulamium was the third largest city in Roman Britain. ... St Albans is the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35. ...

Geoffrey based some members of Uther's family on historical figures. Constantine is based on the historical usurper Constantine III, a claimant to the Roman throne from 407–411; Constans is based on his son. Aurelius Ambrosius is based on the legendary Welsh figure Ambrosius Aurelianus, though his connection to Constantine and Constans is an invention. It is less likely, however, that Uther ever existed outside of Britain's mythical history. Usurpers were a common feature of the late Roman Empire, especially from the so-called crisis of the third century onwards, when political instability became the rule. ... Roman coin, with Constantine III portrayed on its face Constantine III (died 411 by September 18) was a Roman general who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in 407, abdicating in 411 (and being killed soon after). ...

Other medieval literature

In Robert de Boron's Merlin, Uther Pendragon personally kills Hengest after an assassination attempt by the Saxon leader, and Merlin creates the Round Table for him. In Prose Lancelot, Uther Pendragon claims to have been born in Bourges. He takes an army to Brittany to fight against King Claudas of Bourges, a situation resembling that of the historical ruler, Riothamus, who went to Brittany to fight ravagers based in Bourges. There is an alternate account of Uther Pendragon's background in Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival. A certain Mazadân went with a Fay named Terdelaschoye to the land of Feimurgân. (This looks like a garbling of some source that told of Mazadân's alliance with the Fay Morgan in Terre de la Joye; the "Land of Joy"). Mazadân becomes father of two sons, Lazaliez and Brickus. Brickus becomes father of Utepandragûn father of Arthur while the elder son Lazaliez becomes father of Gandin of Anjou father of Gahmuret father of Parzival/Perceval. Uther Pendragon and Arthur here appear as the scions of the junior branch of an imagined 5th/6th century House of Anjou. Robert de Boron (also spelled in the manuscripts Bouron, Beron) was a French poet of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, originally from the village of Boron, in the arrondissement of Montbéliard. ... In the legend of King Arthur, the Round Table was a mystical table in Camelot around which King Arthur and his knights sat to discuss matters crucial to the security of the realm. ... The Lancelot-Grail, also known as the prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is a major source of Arthurian legend. ... Bourges is a town and commune in central France that is located on the Yèvre river. ... Historical province of Brittany, showing the main areas with their name in Breton language The traditional flag of Brittany (the Gwenn-ha-du), formerly a Breton nationalist symbol but today used as a general civic flag in the region. ... King Claudas is a fictional Frankish king and an opponent to King Arthur, Lancelot, and Bors in Arthurian legend. ... Riothamus (also spelled Riotimus, Rigothamus, Rigotamos), was a military leader and considered King of the Brittones (c. ... Portrait of Wolfram from the Codex Manesse. ... Parzival is one of the two great epic poems in Middle High German. ... Morgana and Morgaine redirect here. ... Modern département of Maine-et-Loire, which largely corresponds to Anjou Anjou is a former county (c. ... Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthurs legendary Knights of the Round Table. ... Modern département of Maine-et-Loire, which largely corresponds to Anjou Anjou is a former county (c. ...

Modern literature

Uther Pendragon remains a widely used character in modern Arthurian literature. This is a list of books about King Arthur, or his related world, family, friends or enemies. ...

In T.H. White's The Once and Future King, Uther the Conqueror is the Norman King of England from 1066 to 1216. Terence Hanbury White (May 29, 1906 - January 17, 1964) was a writer. ... The Once and Future King The Once and Future King is an Arthurian fantasy novel written by T.H. White. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned September 20 - Battle of Fulford September 25 - Battle of Stamford Bridge September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... // Prince Louis of France, the future King Louis VIII, invades England in the First Barons War Henry III becomes King of England. ...

Mary Stewart's first two books in her Arthurian saga, The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, feature Uther Pendragon. Notably, he is Merlin's uncle, since in this version the latter is his brother Ambrosius' illegitimate son. Mary Stewart (born 12 September 1916 in Sunderland, County Durham) is a popular English novelist, best known for her trilogy about Merlin, which straddles the boundary between the historical novel and the fantasy genre. ... The Crystal Cave is a novel by Mary Stewart. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Merlin dictating his poems, as illustrated in a French book from the 13th century. ... Ambrosius Aurelianus, called Aurelius Ambrosius in the Historia Regum Britanniae and elsewhere, was a leader of the Romano-British who won an important battle against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, according to Gildas. ...

In Bernard Cornwell's The Warlord Chronicles, Uther is the King of Dumnonia as well as the High King of Britain. 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. ... Dumnonia was a Brythonic kingdom of sub-Roman Britain, located in the south-west peninsula of modern England and covering Cornwall, Devon, most of Somerset and possibly part of Dorset. ...

In Jack Whyte's "The Camulod Chronicles", Uther is King of the Pendragon, the Celtic people of South Cambria, cousin to Caius Merlyn Britannicus and Ambrose Ambrosianus Britannicus and father to Arthur Pendragon through Ygraine of Cornwall.

In Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon, Uther is depicted as the father of Arthur and husband of Igraine after Igraine's husband, Gorlois of Cornwall, dies. Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley (June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was a prolific author of largely feminist fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series, and a steadfast encourager of equality (and quality) in writing. ... The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradleys novel, tells the King Arthur myth from a feminist point of view. ...

References

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. ...

External links

• A more detailed study of Uther Pendragon