Uther Pendragon - Epithet, Early Welsh poetry, History of the Kings of Britain, Other medieval literature

In the Arthurian legends, a king of Britain, who was the father of King Arthur by Ygraine, the wife of Duke Gorlois of Cornwall.

Welsh: Wthyr Bendragon, Uthr Bendragon, Uthyr Pendraeg) is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King 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.

Epithet

Uther's epithet Pendragon means literally "head dragon" or "dragon's head", probably in a figurative sense of "chief warrior". 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.

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?"), and is memorialized with "The Death-song of Uther Pen" from the Book of Taliesin.. 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. 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.

History of the Kings of Britain

He 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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

Geoffrey based some members of Uther's family on historical figures.

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. 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. White's The Once and Future King, Uther Pendragon is the father of King Arthur and the King of England from 1066 to 1216.

Mary Stewart's first three books in her Arthurian Saga, The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment feature Uther Pendragon. Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon illustrates the disguise of Uther, along with his affair and marriage to Igraine, and his death by Saxon invaders.

Uther also plays a significant part in Jack Whyte's Dream of Eagles series, culminating in the book, Uther.

In Bernard Cornwell's Warlord's Trilogy, Uther is the King of Dumnonia and High King of Britain.