Why was uther pendragon famous

Searching for her, Uther hears that she has gone mad. When he finally finds her asleep by a pond, he waits until the dawn awakens her to speak. Igraine feels as if she has just woken from a horrible nightmare and that all that was so horrible has passed. She then asks Uther if she may now be his wife. Deeping makes much of the love that exists between the two.

Both continually think of the other and try to remain true to their love. The Birth of Arthur Uther and Igraine. Choral Drama: The Libretto. London: W. Reeves, Merlin orchestrates the coming together of Uther and Igraine in Boughton's choral drama. He keeps Gorlois away long enough for the conception and convinces Igraine of her duty to bring Arthur into the world.

The story begins with Uther watching the tower at Tintagel as he waits for the chance to storm the castle and finally take Igraine. His patience at an end, Uther implores Ulfius for help. Ulfius seeks out the magician Merlin who is said to be spurned from the devil. Merlin agrees to help Uther satiate his desires if he will promise to give Igraine's first-born son to him. He speaks to the storms and seas that guide him in his magical arts.

He says, "So shall the greatest love give us the Hero" 9. As Merlin meets with Uther, Igraine sits in Tintagel speaking to Brastias of the emptiness of her heart. Gorlois prefers war over her affection and she does not know if she loves him anymore. Merlin comes to Igraine and tells her she will bear a child of great importance, but not to her husband, Gorlois. Merlin and the will of the world which speaks to her through Merlin reveal to Igraine that she feels love for Uther.

When Uther comes to her and confesses his love for her. Igraine replies, "Nay, Uther, twas thyself thou loved'st! The two embrace and Arthur is conceived that night. King Arthur and His Knights. New York: Blue Ribbon Books, Uther Pendragon, brother of Aurelius, takes over the kingship when his brother dies and fights the Saxon invasion of Great Britain.

In celebration of his victories, he invites all of his noblemen for a celebration at Eastertide. It is there that he meets Igerna, wife of Gorlois the Duke of Cornwall. Uther falls in love with Igerna.

Fortunately for him, Gorlois is slain in battle and he can try to marry Igerna. However, Igerna is shut up in Tintagil and cannot be reached. Uther turns to Merlin for help and the magician agrees to assist his king on one condition.

Merlin wants the first-born son of Igerna and Uther. Uther agrees and successfully marries Igerna. Together, they make Arthur who is taken by Merlin to be raised by Sir Ector.

The Once and Future King. New York: Ace Books, Queen Morgause sits below the bedroom of her young boys who are telling stories while she works her magic arts. The young Gawaine, Aggravaine, Gareth, and Gaheris tell the story of the disgracing of their granny, Igraine.

Each takes turns telling the well-known story of Uther Pendragon, Merlin, and the trickery used to defile the Countess of Cornwall. Uther Pendragon, his advances spurned by Igraine, besieges the castles of the Earl of Cornwall.

He uses the necromancy of Merlin to disguise himself as Igraine's husband and is able to enter Tintagil. The Earl of Cornwall is killed and "the chaste and beautiful Igraine" is imprisoned by Uther and forced into marriage. Gawaine is the most adamant about fighting against the Pendragons, especially the young Arthur Pendragon, for the wrong committed against their family.

It seems as though this moment of storytelling foreshadows the events that lead to Arthur's ruin. John Boorman. Warner Home Video, Uther has Excalibur, the sword of power, and is recognized as the King of Britain.

However, at the celebration for this truce, Uther causes a scene when he lewdly stares at the Duke's wife, Igraine. As he watches her seductive dance, Uther declares that he must have her. The peace between the two men quickly crumbles and Uther besieges the Duke's castles. He can wait no longer and requests Merlin to help him possess Igraine. Merlin agrees to help if he can have the child that will be conceived that night. Merlin calls on "the Dragon" to fill the night with his foggy breath and transform Uther into the likeness of the Duke of Cornwall.

The Duke, chasing after Uther's retreating troops, storms Uther's camp. He is thrown from his horse and pierced by spears. A young Morgana awakes and cries out that her father is dead. At that moment, Uther appears and Igraine is fooled by his appearance. However, Morgana watches with suspicious eyes as the man lies with her mother. Later on, Igraine gives birth to a child conceived with a man she thought was her husband.

Merlin takes the child as Igraine screams at Uther to run after him. Uther relents and rushes off to find Merlin. He is ambushed by men loyal to the Duke and is wounded. Before dying, he plunges Excalibur into a stone. It is proclaimed that only the true king will be able to release the sword from the stone.

The Mists of Avalon. New York: Ballantine, Bradley's account of the Arthurian saga is the most original of the Arthurian stories. It is told from the perspective of Arthur's half sister Morgaine, daughter of Igraine and Gorlois. Through her abilities as a Seer, she can tell of things that happened even when she was not present. Igraine was given to Gorlois in marriage for political reasons and she is very unhappy with her life in Cornwall. She misses her home and her only comfort is her daughter Morgaine.

An unexpected visit from Viviane is the beginning of her relationship with Uther Pendragon. Viviane informs her that the future of Avalon lies with Uther and the child the two will make. Igraine accompanies her husband to see Aurelius, brother of Uther, who is dying and needs to figure out who will rule after his death. It is there that Igraine first meets Uther. The two realize that they feel a strong to pull to one another and Igraine's dreams reveal that they were lovers in a former life.

Gorlois is unhappy with the attention Uther is giving his wife and departs suddenly while withdrawing his support for Uther to be king. Uther is chosen to replace Aurelius and now fights against Gorlois who will not recognize him as king.

Uther uses Taliesin to gain access to Tintagel and Igraine. Igraine can see through the disguise and welcomes him into her home and bed. While the two consummate their love, Gorlois is killed in a siege on his camp. After their marriage, Igraine spends the rest of Uther's life doting on him and ignoring everything else in her life.

Her love for him is so great that she even neglects her two children, Arthur and Morgan. After his death, Igraine joins a convent and she dies with only Gwenyfhar at her side.

Arthur: King of Britain. Plymouth, MI: Tome Press, Michael Fraley, writer and illustrator of this comic book, uses the chronicle of Geoffrey of Monmouth as the basis of the story of King Arthur. Uther Pendragon assembles all of his barons and knights to celebrate his coronation.

The peaceful gathering is interrupted when Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, abruptly leaves the court. Uther calls after him and orders him to stay. Gorlois refuses to remain so the king can continue making advances towards Ygerne, his wife. He storms out and Uther swears to punish him for the insult. Ygerne is frightened and does not wish for her husband to leave her. Gorlois tells her he must leave so that she will be safer. There seems to be a great amount of love and respect between the two.

When Uther receives word that Gorlois has left Ygerne only in Cornwall he surrounds the castles and waits. Uther feels he cannot wait any longer to be with Ygerne and asks for the assistance of his friend Ulfin.

Merlin is brought to Uther by Ulfin and says that he can help. He will transform Uther so that he appears to be Gorlois. Uther's disguise fools the guards and Ygerne. Meanwhile, Uther's troops are restless and decide to storm the camp of Gorlois. The Duke is one the first to die and messengers travel quickly to Cornwall to deliver the sad news. Uther is saddened by the loss of such a great warrior, but still takes Gorlois's land and marries Ygerne.

The comic book mentions that not much is known about Ygerne's reaction to any of this, but "we can imagine that Gorlois' death was a shadow that followed them all of their days.

Uther, the Half Dead King. New York: Nantier, Beal, Minoustchine, 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? 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. 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.

Peter C. Although he was genuinely sorry for the death of the duke he was happy that this meant he was now free to marry Igraine.

Returning to Tintagel he then took Igraine as his wife and they lived happily and with great love between them. They had a son named Arthur who became the King of the Britons and a daughter named Anna or Anne, who was later known as Morgause. Sickness and disease have no more respect for kings and mighty warriors as they have for poor peasants, and Uther was taken by a crippling malaise. To compound his woes, the Saxon leaders, Octa and Eosa, escaped their prison in London and made their way back to Germany.

Reports came that they had raised a massive army with the intent to return and conqueror Britain once and for all. These reports were verified when a great fleet landed a great army of Saxons and their allies in the north of Britain. Immediately the invaders attacked the towns and cities and left the countryside in ruins. Uther, now all but incapacitated through illness, entrusted the defence of the north to one of his consuls, a valiant warrior named Lot of Londonesia, to whom he had given his daughter Anna in marriage.

Finally, on hearing this, Uther sent for all of his commanders to appear before him and berated their foolishness. In disgust, he swore he would lead the army himself despite his sickness and commanded a special horse-drawn carriage to be built that would carry him at the head of the army of the Britons into battle. In his carriage at the head of the army, Utter travelled to Verulam now known as St. Albans, to confront Octa and Eosa where they were laying waste the countryside.

When these two Saxon chiefs heard the sick Uther Pendragon was leading the army of the Britons in a horse drawn carriage they mocked him and refused to fight. In their pride and contempt of Uther, however, they left the gates open. As soon as Uther heard of this, he decided to attack straight away, and hope to profit from their foolishness. His Britons attacked the city, and when the Saxons saw the danger, they were forced to repulse them before it was too late.

The battle raged all day, until nightfall brought rest to both sides. The Saxons, now seeing that they were disadvantaged in sitting out a siege, decided to try their luck in open battle, either to defeat the Britons or break through and escape. At dawn, they marched out of the city and the ensuing battle was bloody and fierce, raging all day. At last Octa and Eosa fell, and leaderless, the Saxons ran away, leaving the Britons the victors.

Those Saxons who escaped headed north, raiding towns along their way. Uther wanted to lead the army of the Britons after them, but his commanders persuaded him not to on account of the severity of his illness and his worsening condition.

Seeing this motivated the Saxons to do greater harm, and they now attempted to conquer the entire kingdom of the Britons. They had always been skilled in the arts of treachery and deception and now they sought to bring about the death of Uther Pendragon by poison.

They sent spies in disguise into the camp of the Britons and spied on the habits of the king. On discovering he was apt to drink from the waters of a clear spring, they poisoned it, causing him sudden death.

According to early chroniclers, the Saxons took great encouragement from the death of Uther Pendragon. With their numbers swelling daily with reinforcements from Germany they sought to take over the entire country and exterminate the Britons from the island of Britain. With the realm of the Britons in dire peril, the clergy and the nobles made Arthur, the son of Uther Pendragon and only fifteen years old, the King of the Britons.

Despite his youth and inexperience, he was to go on to free the Britons of the Saxons and build an empire across Europe, fulfilling his part in the prophecy of Merlin. Yet throughout his life, Arthur would be haunted by lust, treachery, deception and magic, the very elements that had brought him into the world. To read all the articles in this series, visit the British Legends Series page or select from the list below:. Easter , Legends , Regional Folklore. By zteve t evans.

May 17, Uther engaged in a war with the Angles of the north and besieged them at Caer-Mincip St. Albans Although he was successful, the Angles poisoned the water supply and Uther died as a result.

The castle dramatically bestrides a mound near the River Eden overlooked by Wild Boar Fell to the south-west and Mallerstang Edge to the east. It was once owned by Hugh de Morville, one of the knights who became infamous for murdering Thomas A'Beckett at Canterbury Cathedral in The present structure dates to the twelfth century and was founded by Ranulph de Meschines, during the reign of William II 'Rufus' , the remains of the keep are of Norman construction, although the Garderobe Turret dates from the fourteenth century.

According to legend, Uther tried to re-route the River Eden to fill the deep ditch which surrounds the castle to create a moat, but failed, which is alluded to in the local rhyme There is, however, no archaeological evidence to suggest Dark Age settlement at the site, apart from the discovery of a Roman coin, the Romans established a fort along the road between their forts at Brough and Bainbridge. The castle was not called 'Pendragon' until , and before that date, was known as Mallerstang Castle.