The Romance of Tristan and Iseult — Chronicle
Ordered by chapter. No event in this book could be dated from the text, so it is not dated — no anchor, no chronology; a date is never inferred. Time expressions are copied from the text as written. Every event links back to one sentence of the original.
⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 📍 Places →
131 events · no event could be dated from the text
Undated
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Tintagel Minster]] · Long ago
He wedded her in Tintagel Minster
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · upon a day
till she learnt upon a day that Duke Morgan had killed him in foul ambush.
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · on the fourth
and on the fourth she brought forth a son; and taking him in her arms she said:
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · immediately when she had kissed him
After she had said these words she kissed him, and immediately when she had kissed him she died.
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Castle of Kanoël]]
but for fear that Morgan might slay Rivalen’s heir the Marshal hid him among his own sons.
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · on a day
certain merchants of Norway, having lured Tristan to their ship, bore him off as a rich prize
Chapter 1 · Part 1 · eight days and eight nights
a quiet tide cast Tristan and the boat upon a beach of sand.
Chapter 1 · Part 2 · 📍 [[Cornwall]] · after long wandering by sea and land
Rohalt Tristan King Mark Blanchefleur Rivalen
King Mark, here is your nephew Tristan, son of your sister Blanchefleur and of King Rivalen.
Chapter 1 · Part 2 · 📍 [[Lyonesse]]
And Tristan (in a word) when his uncle had armed him knight, crossed the sea, and was hailed of his father’s vassals, and killed Rivalen’s slayer and was re-seized of his land.
Chapter 2 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Tintagel]] · that year
King Mark King of Ireland Morholt
Now that year this King had sent to Tintagel, to carry his summons, a giant knight; the Morholt, whose sister he had wed, and whom no man had yet been able to overcome: so King Mark had summoned all the barons of his land to Council, by letters sealed.
Chapter 2 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Tintagel]] · On the day assigned
Then Tristan knelt at the feet of King Mark and said: “Lord King, by your leave I will do battle.” And in vain would King Mark have turned him from his purpose, thinking, how could even valour save so young a knight? But he threw down his gage to the Morholt, and the Morholt took up the gage.
Chapter 2 · Part 1 · 📍 [[St. Samson’s]] · towards the hour of noon
No man saw the sharp combat; but thrice the salt sea-breeze had wafted or seemed to waft a cry of fury to the land, when at last towards the hour of noon the purple sail showed far off; the Irish boat appeared from the island shore, and there rose a clamour of “the Morholt!” When suddenly, as the boat grew larger on the sight and topped a wave, they saw that Tristan stood on the prow holding a sword in his hand. He leapt ashore, and as the mothers kissed the steel upon his feet he cried to the Morholt’s men: “My lords of Ireland, the Morholt fought well. See here, my sword is broken and a splinter of it stands fast in his head. Take you that steel, my lords; it is the tribute of Cornwall.”
Chapter 2 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Tintagel]]
But over in Tintagel Tristan languished, for there trickled a poisonous blood from his wound. The doctors found that the Morholt had thrust into him a poisoned barb, and as their potions and their theriac could never heal him they left him in God’s hands.
Chapter 3 · Part 1 · On the appointed day
To please you, lords, I will take a wife; but you must seek her whom I have chosen.
Chapter 3 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Whitehaven harbour]] · the dawn had barely broken
Tristan left the woman and returning to his ship armed himself in secret, and it was a fine sight to see so noble a charger and so good a knight come out from such a merchant-hull
Chapter 3 · Part 2
but Tristan standing on his feet thrust his sword right into the beast’s jaws, and split its heart in two.
Chapter 3 · Part 2
Seneschal of Ireland
so he cut off its head and bore it to the King, and claimed the great reward.
Chapter 3 · Part 2 · On the day of the barons’ assembly
Tristan Seneschal of Ireland
Then Tristan showed the dragon’s tongue and offered the seneschal battle, but the seneschal looked at his face and dared not.
Chapter 5 · Part 2 · 📍 [[Tintagel]] · every evening
And every evening, by Brangien’s counsel, Tristan cut him twigs and bark, leapt the sharp stakes and, having come beneath the pine, threw them into the clear spring; they floated light as foam down the stream to the women’s rooms; and Iseult watched for their coming, and on those evenings she would wander out into the orchard and find her friend.
Chapter 5 · Part 2 · Till at last
Till at last Duke Andret (whom God shame) said to his peers: “My lords, let us take counsel of Frocin the Dwarf; for he knows the seven arts, and magic and every kind of charm. He will teach us if he will the wiles of Iseult the Fair.”
Chapter 5 · Part 2 · this night
“Sirs, high good lords, this night shall you seize them both.”
Chapter 5 · Part 2 · 📍 [[Tintagel]] · at fall of night
So did the King unwillingly; and at fall of night he left the hunt taking the dwarf in pillion, and entered the orchard, and the dwarf took him to the tall pine-tree, saying: “Fair King, climb into these branches and take with you your arrows and your bow, for you may need them; and bide you still.”
Chapter 5 · Part 2 · 📍 [[Wales]] · when he had left the orchard
But in an open glade apart, Frocin, the Dwarf, read in the clear stars that the King now meant his death; he blackened with shame and fear and fled into Wales.
Chapter 6 · Part 1
King Mark Dinas of Lidan Frocin the Dwarf
Mark had pardoned the felons, and as the seneschal, Dinas of Lidan, found the dwarf wandering in a forest abandoned, he brought him home, and the King had pity and pardoned even him.
Chapter 6 · Part 1
And when King Mark had agreed, this dwarf did a vile thing.
Chapter 6 · Part 1 · that night
That night, when the King had supped and the men-at-arms lay down to sleep in hall, Tristan came to the King as custom was
Chapter 6 · Part 1 · At midnight
Tristan Iseult King Mark Frocin the Dwarf
Then Tristan rose in the darkness and judged the spear length and leapt the space between, for his farewell.
Chapter 8 · Part 1
The King has published a ban in every parish: Whosoever may seize you shall receive a hundred marks of gold for his guerdon
Chapter 9 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Hermitage]] · By morning
Help us to offer peace to the King, and I will yield him the Queen, and will myself go far away into Brittany or the Lowlands
Chapter 9 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Hermitage]] · By morning
Nor will I live longer so, for though I will not say one word of penance for my love, which is there and remains forever, yet from now on I will be separate from him.
Chapter 9 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Hermitage]] · By morning
And he gave them wise counsel, and took ink, and wrote a little writ offering the King what Tristan said.
Chapter 9 · Part 1 · That night
Then the King cried: “Nephew! nephew! for God’s sake wait awhile,”
Chapter 10 · Part 1 · that day
And Mark freed a hundred of his slaves, and armed a score of squires that day with hauberk and with sword.
Chapter 11 · Part 1 · as Perinis went back to Tintagel
but Perinis drove him, and caught him, and broke his staff and his head together, and pushed his body into the pitfall with his feet.
Chapter 11 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Sandy Heath]] · on the appointed day
The iron was red, but she thrust her bare arms among the coals and seized it, and bearing it took nine steps. Then, as she cast it from her, she stretched her arms out in a cross, with the palms of her hands wide open, and all men saw them fresh and clean and cold.
Chapter 12 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Wales]]
and they fought hard and long, till courage conquered strength, and Tristan, having cut off the giant’s hand, bore it back to the Duke.
Chapter 12 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Wales]]
“Friend,” said the Duke, “take it, then, but in taking it you take away also all my joy.”
Chapter 12 · Part 1 · one day
And she took the magic bell and shook it just a little, and then by the open window she threw it into the sea.
Chapter 13 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Carhaix]] · One day, as the dawn broke
Lords, you have slept too long; rise, for an assault is on.
Chapter 13 · Part 2
Duke Hod Tristan Iseult of the White Hands
I shall be quit with you if you will take my daughter, Iseult of the White Hands
Chapter 13 · Part 2
Tristan Iseult of the White Hands
before all, at the gate of the minster, Tristan wed Iseult of the White Hands, according to the Church’s law.
Chapter 13 · Part 2 · that same night
Tristan Iseult Iseult of the White Hands
Then his heart awoke and he knew that he had done wrong. For he remembered the day when Iseult the Fair had given him the ring.
Chapter 14 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Tintagel]]
Kariado Iseult Tristan Iseult of the White Hands
Lady Iseult, Tristan, your friend is lost to you. He has wed in a far land. So seek you other where, for he mocks your love. He has wed in great pomp Iseult of the White Hands, the King of Brittany’s daughter.’’
Chapter 14 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Carhaix]]
So he left Carhaix secretly, telling no man, neither his kindred nor even Kaherdin, his brother in arms.
Chapter 14 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Tintagel]]
Then Tristan shaved his wonderful hair; he shaved it close to his head and left a cross all bald, and he rubbed his face with magic herbs distilled in his own country, and it changed in colour and skin so that none could know him, and he made him a club from a young tree torn from a hedge-row and hung it to his neck, and went bare-foot towards the castle.
Chapter 15 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Carhaix]] · When he was come back to Brittany, to Carhaix
When he was come back to Brittany, to Carhaix, it happened that Tristan, riding to the aid of Kaherdin his brother in arms, fell into ambush and was wounded by a poisoned spear; and many doctors came, but none could cure him of the ill.
Chapter 15 · Part 1
Iseult of the White Hands Tristan
But behind the wall, Iseult of the White Hands heard all these things; and Tristan continued:
Chapter 15 · Part 1 · 📍 [[Carhaix]] · With the first fair wind
With the first fair wind Kaherdin took the open, weighed anchor and hoisted sail, and ran with a light air and broke the seas.
Chapter 15 · Part 2 · in saying it the fourth time
And in saying it the fourth time, he died.
Chapter 15 · Part 2 · 📍 [[Brittany]]
She heard loud mourning in the streets, and the tolling of bells in the minsters and the chapel towers