Igraine
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Le Morte D'Arthur
The Mists of Avalon
Le Morte D'Arthur
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Other Names/Titles - Duchess of Cornwall,
Queen
Mother - [unknown]
Father - [unknown]
Foster Parents/Siblings - [none]
Siblings - Morgawse, Elayne
Husband - Duke of Cornwall and Uther Pendragon,
King of Britain
Other Lovers - [none]
Children - Morgan le Fay [by the Duke],
and Arthur [by Uther]
...
Since Le Morte D'Arthur was not a very
women-oriented book, we don't know a whole lot about how Mallory wanted
her seen. She is married to the Duke, with whom she has her daughter,
Morgan le Fay. Uther Pendragon decides that he can't live without
her beauty and seduces her, with help from Merlin. Merlin disguises
Uther as the Duke and Igraine takes him into her bed. Simultaneosly,
the Duke dies in battle against Uther's troops. This is the way that
Igraine conceives Arthur. After this whole affair, Igrain is married
to Uther. Her sister Morgawse is married to King Lot of Lowthean,
and her other sister Elayne is married to King Nentres of Garlot.
Her daughter Morgan le Fay is married to King Uryens of Gore. After
that, the only part of the book that talks about her is when Arthur is
about to take the thrown. She refuses to accept him as her son because
of all the controversy surrounding his birth. When everything is
straightened out, they have a wonderful reunion and everything is ok.
This is pretty much the last we hear from Igraine.
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The Mists of Avalon
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Other Names - [none]
Mother - Ana, former High Priestess and
Lady of Avalon
Father - Talisin,
the Merlin
Foster Parents/Siblings - [none]
Siblings - Viviane, Morgause
Husband - Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall and
Uther Pendragon, High King of Britain
Other Lovers - [none]
Children - Morgaine [by Gorlois], and
Arthur [by Uther]
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A daughter of the Druid, Talisan,
Igraine was mother to Arthur and Morgaine. Viviane, her sister, the
Lady of the Lake, arranged the marraige between Igraine and Gorlois, duke
of Cornwall. Although Igraine was unhappy to leave Avalon and unhappy
in her new life, she knew that she had been picked for a destiny she could
only imagine about. Later on, she was dutifully rewarded by finding
her one true love and twin soul, Uther. When they found each other,
her life was complete. She let Morgaine be led off to become a priestess
of Avalon, and let her son be raised by Ectorius and Dame Flavilla.
Her one true calling was to be with Uther. It seemed that at times
she didn't care much for anyone other than her beloved, but their's was
a beautiful love story within itself. Through the course of becoming
the Duchess of Cornwall and later on High Queen of Britain, she grew further
and further away from her original Celtic roots. She became more
and more intermersed within the Christian faith. After Uther's death, she
remained with Arthur for a time, but she was very detached and lonely.
She then went into a convent to live out the rest of her days behind those
walls. She died with only Queen Gwenhwyfar near.
...
