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| Notes for Uther PENDRAGON "King of the Britons" | ||||||||
| [GREATx43 GRANDFATHER]+ [A] [K] Uther Pendragon Uther's story is first told by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his "History of Kings of Britain". As a one of the two younger brothers of the murdered King Constans, he apparently fled, at a young age, to the Royal Court of his cousin, King Budic I of Brittany and here he was raised. As a young man, Uther returned to Britain with his elder brother, Ambrosius, and together they fought for their ancestral rights, eventually defeating the usurping Vortigern and placing Ambrosius on the throne. Throughout Ambrosius' reign, Uther was his brother's staunchest ally. He commanded the King's forces in Ireland when, with Merlin, he acquired the "Giant's Ring" as a memorial to the dead of the "Night of the Long Knives". Later, it was Uther who was victorious over the rebellious King Pasgen of Buellt & Gwerthrynion at St. Davids (Mynyw). Uther took the crown under the title of "Uther Pendragon" after a dragon-shaped comet appeared in the sky at the time of his brother's death. Most of his reign was taken up with campaigning against Saxon and Irish invaders in the North of Britain, where he held court at Pendragon Castle in Westmorland. He was, at first unsuccessful against the Angles of Bernicia. Osla, allied with the Jutish Octa, defeated Uther's armies at York (Caer-Ebrauc). However, he soon turned the tables at the ensuing Battle of Mount Damen. Uther later travelled even further north to help the Kings of Strathclyde pacify the Scots. It is at this point that the most famous episode in Uther's life is related. Returning to London (Caer-Lundein), he met Ygerna, the gorgeous wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, and fell instantly in love with her. Determined to see her again he invited the Duke to return to the Royal Court, but Gorlois could see what was going on and flattly refused. The two quarrelled and Gorlois and his wife fled to Cornwall. Uther invaded the Duke's lands, but still impatient to be with his new love, he persuaded Merlin to use his powers to magic him into Ygerna's bed. Thus, while Gorlois was being killed at nearby St. Dennis (Dimilioc), Uther was transformed into his likeness. He walked straight into the lion's den at Tintagel Catsle (Din-Tagell) and seduced the lovely Duchess. Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur" claims that the price for this deception was that Uther's son, the future King Arthur who was conceived on that night, had to be given to Merlin to be brought up as he saw fit. Robert de Boron says Uther was responsible for the founding of the Order of the Round Table. In old age, the sick and aging Uther was drawn into a renewed war with the Northern Angles. When his commander, King Lot of Lothian (Gododdin) was unsuccessful, the King was carried to St. Albans (Caer-Mincip) to besiege the Anglian Princes himself. He won through, but the Germans poisoned the water-supply and Uther, along with many of his men, died in the days that followed. Despite the popular myth to the contrary, King Uther Pendragon was not created from the imagination of Geoffrey of Monmouth. He appears several times in earlier Welsh tradition, both in his own right and as father of King Arthur. In the 10th century poem, Pa Gur ("Who is the Porter?"), one of Arthur's companions is given as "Mabon ap Mydron, servant of Uthir Pen Dragon". A poem in the Book of Taliesin (some of which may date back to the 6th century) mentions Arthur and is named after Uther himself as Marvnat Uthyr Pen. Ymiddiddan Arthur a'r Eryr ("The Colloquy of Arthur and the Eagle"), a poem contemporary with Geoffrey yet showing a primitive tradition independent of him, identifies the eagle as Eliwlat mab Madawc mab Uthyr and a nephew of Arthur. Uther also appears in several early Triads of the Island of Britain and the personal name is known from other pre-Galfridian sources. As an epithet, Pendragon can be interpreted as something like "Foremost Leader," "Chief Warleader" or "Chief of Warriors". In the Cambridge version of Nennius' "History of the Britons," there is an addition to Arthur's name of the line "in British mab Uter, that is in Latin terrible son, because from his youth he was cruel". This unlikely reference to Arthur's early character, has encouraged some researchers, to see Uthr-Pen-Dragon as a mere title (Terrible Chief Warleader) which should be applied to a King of another name. The most popular suggestion appears to be King Meurig ap Tewdrig of Glywysing and Gwent, as suggested by Blackett & Wilson and Barber & Pykitt. British king. Uther Pendragon was the youngest son of Constantine, and brother of Constans and Aurelius. Uther was the father of Arthur. After his father died, his eldest brother, Constans, became the British king. However Constans' advisor, Vortigern, tricked some Pictish mercenaries into killing the young king. Vortigern seized the throne. Fearing for Constantine's younger sons' lives, the foster-father send Aurelius and Uther to their relatives in Brittany, France. Vortigern was a tyrant who allowed Saxons to live in Britain. Vortigern had married a daughter of Saxon chieftain named Hengest. Vortigern had the Saxons recruited into his army to repel the Picts from the north. The Britons did not like the Saxons, because more Saxons arrived every year from the Continent. Even Vortigern's own son, Vortimer dislike his father's bride and the pagan Saxons. War broke out between Saxons and Britons. Later, Vortigern's father-in-law, Hengest, treacherously overthrew Vortigern. When the two exiled brothers returned to Britain, they decided to take revenge upon Vortigern and to drive the Saxons out of Britain. Vortigern died in a burning castle. Hengest was captured and killed. They had his body cut to pieces. Aurelius became king of Britain. Vortigern and Hengest's sons either escaped or captured. They would attack the Britons again. Aurelius faced a new war against the Saxons and Vortigern's son. While Aurelius was ill, Uther led the army against the Saxons. One night, Uther and Merlin saw several comets that lit the sky, in the shape of a dragon. Merlin informed Uther that his brother had died from poisoning, and that was the new king. It was Merlin who attached the named Pendragon at the end of Uther's name. After crushing the Saxons in the last battle, Uther held a celebration in London, inviting his allies. Among the guest was Gorlois, the duke of Cornwall. Gorlois had been instrumental to Uther's victory; it was Gorlois' strategy that defeated the Saxons. Gorlois brought his young and extremely beautiful wife named Igraine. Uther fell instantly in love with Igraine, and it was so obvious, that Gorlois left the celebration with his wife. Uther didn't want Gorlois to leave early, threatening the duke with war. During the war against Gorlois, Uther was still infatuated with Igraine, that the king asked Merlin for advice. Merlin transformed Uther to look exactly like Igraine's husband. While Gorlois was busy defending his castle, Uther seduced the duke's wife. That night, Arthur was conceived. Gorlois also died that night. The men of Cornwall had no choice but to surrender to Uther. Uther married Igraine, and Arthur was born. Arthur's sister, Anna, was born a year later. Uther had to fight with Hengest's son again, in another battle, which he defeated and killed. However, Uther was also poisoned. Arthur, who had just turned fifteen, became king of Britain. - [2] [1] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uther_Pendragon [2] - http://www.timelessmyths.com/arthurian/minorarthur.html#Uther | ||||||||
| Last Modified 8 May 2006 | Created 26 Nov 2008 using Reunion for Macintosh |