La Beale Isoud

Also known as: Dame Isoud / Isoud / Isoud of Cornwall / King Lot’s wife / Madam Isoud / Queen Isoud / Queen La Beale Isoud / Queen of Cornwall / Queen of Orkney / my Lady Isoud / the Queen of Cornwall · Family: Ireland · Role: lady and surgeon · First appears: Book VIII, Chapter IX

At Carlion, La Beale Isoud was King Lot’s wife when King Arthur lay with her and begat Mordred; the account also says that she was King Arthur’s maternal sister, Igraine, though he did not know it. Later she is named Queen of Orkney, wife of King Lot, and mother of Sir Gawaine, Sir Gaheris, and many others.

In Book VIII, King Anguish placed Sir Tristram in her keeping because she was a noble surgeon. She found poison in his wound and healed him, then arrayed him in white armor and sent him secretly into the field. Sir Tristram loved her and taught her to harp, while she came to love him; Sir Palamides also drew toward her with gifts. When Queen recognized Sir Tristram as the knight who had slain Sir Marhaus, La Beale Isoud learned his identity and parentage, promised not to marry for seven years without his assent, and exchanged rings with him. When King Mark sought her as his bride, Sir Tristram fetched her from Ireland; on the journey they drank the love potion, and “never their love departed for weal neither for woe.” She was then richly married to King Mark, with Dame Bragwaine as her chief gentlewoman, though she granted Sir Palamides whatever boon he asked.

After Sir Tristram rescued her from the lazar-cote, King Mark took her home and confined her so that she could neither send to Sir Tristram nor receive from him. She wrote to Queen Guenever complaining of Sir Tristram’s untruth after his marriage to Isoud la Blanche Mains, and later sent him piteous letters through Dame Bragwaine. When Sir Kehydius fell in love with her and sent letters and ballads, she answered with a letter of comfort, but Sir Tristram found their correspondence and accused her of treason; she then commanded Sir Kehydius to leave Cornwall. Believing Sir Tristram dead, she tried to kill herself, but King Mark stopped her and kept her in a tower. A brachet later revealed Sir Tristram’s identity to her and Dame Bragwaine.