Rivalen

Also known as: King Rivalen · Family: Lyonesse · Role: king · First appears: Chapter 1 · Part 1

Long ago, King Rivalen wed Blanchefleur in Tintagel Minster. He served King Mark faithfully with counsel and sword, and King Mark gave him his sister Blanchefleur; but Duke Morgan fell upon Lyonesse and wasted its towns and fields. Rivalen was later killed by Duke Morgan in a foul ambush.

Fearing that Duke Morgan might slay Rivalen’s heir, the Marshal hid Tristan among his own sons. After long wandering by sea and land, Rohalt revealed Tristan to King Mark as the rightful son of Blanchefleur and Rivalen. When Tristan was knighted, he crossed the sea, killed Rivalen’s slayer, and was restored to his father’s land; Rohalt, remembering Rivalen and Blanchefleur, loved Tristan as a son and revered him as his lord.

Relationship record

Life events

• Rivalen weds Blanchefleur in Tintagel Minster.(Chapter 1 · Part 1 · 📍 Tintagel Minster)
  • With: Blanchefleur
  • “He wedded her in Tintagel Minster”
• Duke Morgan kills Rivalen in a foul ambush.(Chapter 1 · Part 1)
  • With: Duke Morgan
  • “till she learnt upon a day that Duke Morgan had killed him in foul ambush.”
• Rohalt reveals Tristan as King Mark’s nephew and Rivalen’s rightful son.(Chapter 1 · Part 2 · 📍 Cornwall)
  • With: Rohalt Tristan King Mark Blanchefleur
  • “King Mark, here is your nephew Tristan, son of your sister Blanchefleur and of King Rivalen.”
• Tristan is knighted, kills Rivalen’s slayer, and regains his father’s land.(Chapter 1 · Part 2 · 📍 Lyonesse)
  • With: Tristan Duke Morgan
  • “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 1 · Part 1

• married with Blanchefleur “He wedded her in Tintagel Minster”
• liege: King Mark “so faithfully did he serve him with counsel and sword”
• with King Mark (Mark became Rivalen's brother-in-law when Rivalen married Blanchefleur.) “Mark gave him his sister Blanchefleur”
• enemies with Duke Morgan “Duke Morgan had fallen on Lyonesse and was wasting town and field”
• child: Tristan “for fear that Morgan might slay Rivalen’s heir the Marshal hid him among his own sons”
• sworn: Rohalt “But Rohalt remembering Rivalen and Blanchefleur (of whose youth and grace all this was a resurrection) loved him indeed as a son, but in his heart revered him as his lord.”

Chapter 1 · Part 2

• married with Blanchefleur “Therein, my lords, therein had Rivalen taken Blanchefleur to wife, though their son knew it not.”
• child: Tristan “King Mark, here is your nephew Tristan, son of your sister Blanchefleur and of King Rivalen.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Romance of Tristan and Iseult. Made with Rho MD.