Arthur's Women from Tales of King Arthur

TNT mini-series "The Mists of Avalon".

We hear first of Ygraine from Geoffrey of Monmouth, a 12th century translator from a religious order .

Now this Geoffrey translated Welsh manuscripts into Latin in about 1136. His work was intended to be an historical record of the Welsh kingdoms but also meant a significant advancement in the church hierarchy for Geoffrey. In compiling his History of the Kings of Britain, Geoffrey utilised material from British legend and folklore. He also borrowed from earlier Latin accounts of the Britons but treated all his sources with great imaginative freedom - such as tracing the descent of British princes from the Trojans.

It's not really surprising that we don't hear much on the subject of women from a cloistered monk, apart from brief and negative portrayals, and his mention of Ygraine is no exception. The deceit practiced on Ygraine was her own fault for being beautiful and, besides, is of no account as her only reason for existence is to be the mother of Arthur..

Geoffrey said that, in an attempt to stop the advancing and destructive Saxons, Uther Pendragon called together all of the British leaders to form a plan of attack. One of the nobles at the gathering is Gorlois of Cornwall with his wife Ygraine, the "most beautiful woman in Britain".

When he sees Ygraine, Uther falls immediately in love. Gorlois, angry with the flirtatious attention directed at his wife, storms off and hides her away at the fortress of Tintagel.

Merlin casts a spell which makes Uther look like Gorlois and the King is then able to enter Tintagel and deceive Ygraine into believing he is her husband. That night, two events occur which effect the future of all of Britain.

Gorlois dies in battle outside of the castle of Dimilioc and Arthur is conceived in Tintagel.

And that's all there is from Geoffrey on Ygraine.

Based on The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

It starts off innocently
Elaine's father organises a jousting tournament, attended by King Arthur and his knights. Elaine falls in love with Lancelot and begs him to wear her token at the coming tournament. Explaining that Guenevere would be at the tournament, he consents to wear the token but says that he will have to fight in disguise so as not to be recognised.

Elaine is Insulted
Lancelot goes on to win the tournament but receives a serious injury. Elaine then urges her father to let her bring the wounded Lancelot to her chambers, where she nurses him.

When Lancelot is well, he makes ready to leave, and offers to pay Elaine for her services. He attempts to pay her!

Insulted, Elaine brings him his shield, which she had been guarding, and a wary Lancelot leaves the castle, never to return but now aware of her feelings for him.

Ten days later, Elaine dies of heartbreak.

Her body is placed in a small barge, clutching a lily in one hand, and her final letter in the other. She then floats down the Thames to Camelot, where she is discovered by King Arthur's court.

But Lancelot mused a little space
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott."

Lancelot and Tristan are called the two greatest knights and greatest lovers by Merlin, and the fairness of the two ladies whom these men love is often compared.

The basic outline of their tales is similar in that both knights are caught in a dangerous triangle of emotion that pits their love for their ladies against their loyalty to their king. It's never the fault of the men involved.

Tristan, the heroic nephew of King Mark of Cornwall, is sent to Ireland to escort the Irish king's daughter, the beautiful Isolde, to Cornwall to become his uncle's bride. During the return voyage the young couple accidentally consume a love potion (meant to ensure Isolde's happiness with Mark) together, and fall in love.

Because her betrothal to Mark cannot be broken, Isolde marries the king despite her love for Tristan, and the two lovers spend the rest of their lives attempting to satisfy their desire for each other without revealing that desire to the Cornish court.

When Mark finds out, Tristan leaves the court, marries Isolde of Brittany and subsequently neglects her, as he feels that his marriage is a betrayal of Isolde of Ireland.

Not surprisingly, his callous treatment of Isolde of Brittany is brushed aside by the chroniclers. It is the men, after all, who are important.

Arthur's Women is part of the All About Arthur Collection where you will find many more pages on the legendary King Arthur of Britain.