Mordred

This entry is on the King Arthur character. For other meanings, go to Mordred (disambiguation).

Mordred's background

The illegitimacy angle started with the Lancelot-Grail (Vulgate) Cycle, and has been repeated in most later versions. In those versions, the incest is usually accidental; the participants don't know they were related at the time (Arthur didn't know anything about his birth mother). In one version Morgause mistakes Arthur for her husband visiting her in the night. In another Arthur virtually rapes his sister after falling in love with her. In any case the discovery of the incest is usually disasterous. After hearing a prophesy 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.

Related Topics:
Lancelot-Grail - Vulgate - May Day

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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:

Related Topics:
Annales Cambriae - 537

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

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The Annales themselves were completed around A.D. 970. Mordred was associated with Camlann even at that early date, but the Annales brief line gives no information as to whether he killed or was killed by Arthur, or even if he was fighting against him. Even if he wasn't yet the famous villain he would later become, his appearances in Welsh Genealogies and Triads show he was at least a well known personage.

Related Topics:
970 - Welsh Genealogies - Triads

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The earliest known 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 with his account of Arthur's leaving Mordred in charge of his throne as he crosses the English Channel to wage war on Emperor Lucius of Rome. During the 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 Melehan and Melou).

Related Topics:
Geoffrey of Monmouth - Historia Regum Britanniae - Wales - English Channel - Emperor Lucius - Rome - Guinevere - Avalon - Constantine III of Britain - Melehan - Melou

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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; 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. Medraut is never considered Arthur's son in Welsh texts, only his nephew, though The Dream of Rhonabwy mentions that Arthur had been his foster father.

Related Topics:
Welsh - Kelliwic - Cornwall - Gwenhwyfar - The Dream of Rhonabwy

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In Geoffrey and certain other sources such as the Alliterative Morte Arthure, Mordred marries Guinevere, seemingly consentually, after he steals the throne. However, in later writings like 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, however, but Mordred has been replaced with Lancelot.

Related Topics:
Alliterative Morte Arthure - Lancelot-Grail - Thomas Malory - Le Morte d'Arthur - Tower of London - Lancelot

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Geoffrey and the Lancelot-Grail Cycle have Mordred being succeeded by his two sons, called in the Lancelot-Grail Melehan and Melou. In Geoffrey, Arthur's successor Constantine tracks them down and kills them in their sanctuaries; in the Lancelot-Grail, Melehan is killed by Bors and Melou by Lancelot.

Related Topics:
Melehan - Melou - Bors

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Mordred in later works

Virtually everywhere Mordred appears, his name is synonomous with treachery, a fate also shared by Ganelon from the Song of Roland. In The Divine Comedy, Mordred is condemned to the ninth circle of Hell, the region of Cocytus, reserved for traitors to family. 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. 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.

Related Topics:
Ganelon - Song of Roland - The Divine Comedy - Hell - Cocytus - Middle Ages - 14th century - Scottish - John of Fordun - Lot - Anna - Walter Bower - Hector Boece

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Some modern Arthurian works have Morgan le Fay as Mordred's mother; this comes from conflating her character with her sister Morgause's.

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In Stephen King's Dark Tower series, Mordred is the half son of Roland of Gilead. He is named because of his destiny to kill his father.

Related Topics:
Stephen King - Dark Tower series

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The animated television series The Legend of Prince Valiant featured Mordred as the Champion of Camelot and one of King Arthur's oldest friends and supporters. He was seduced by Lady Morgana into killing a Viking peace delegation that was pledged with the task of ending hostilites with Camelot. Sir Mordred's crime was uncovered by the titular hero; once exposed as a traitor to the ideals of Camelot, he was banished by King Arthur. Later, he would return as the main villain of the second season as the leader of an army out to dethrone Arthur.

Related Topics:
The Legend of Prince Valiant - Viking

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