Uther
Also known as: King Uther · Family: Britain · Role: former king · First appears: The Coming of Arthur 1
At Tintagil, Uther besieged Ygerne and compelled her to marry him: “Enforced was she to wed him in her tears, And with a shameful swiftness:”. He went to war with Gorlois, who was overthrown and slain, while Anton was described as an old and ancient friend of Uther.
Before his death, Merlin served Uther through his magic, and Bleys and Merlin were said to have served him in fealty. Uther died at Tintagil lamenting that he had no heir—“Moaning and wailing for an heir”—after which Merlin identified Arthur as the child who would reign after him; Ulfius and Brastias affirmed Arthur as King Uther’s son. Later, a widow recounted that Uther had forcibly taken a field from her and her dead lord without leaving them either gold or land.
Relationship record
Life events
- Uther compels Ygerne to marry him after besieging her in Tintagil.(The Coming of Arthur 2 · 📍 Tintagil)
- With: Ygerne
- “Enforced was she to wed him in her tears, And with a shameful swiftness:”
- Uther dies while lamenting the absence of an heir.(The Coming of Arthur 2)
- “Not many moons, King Uther died himself, Moaning and wailing for an heir to rule”
- Uther dies while lamenting that he has no heir.(The Coming of Arthur 3 · 📍 Tintagil)
- “When Uther in Tintagil past away / Moaning and wailing for an heir”
- Merlin identifies the miraculous child as the king who will reign after Uther.(The Coming of Arthur 3)
- Uther forcibly seized a widow’s field without paying her.(Gareth and Lynette 2)
- “Thy father, Uther, reft From my dead lord a field with violence: For howsoe’er at first he proffered gold, Yet, for the field was pleasant in our eyes, We yielded not; and then he reft us of it Perforce, and left us neither gold nor field.”
The Coming of Arthur 1
- child: Arthur “Then, when they came before him, the King said, ‘I have seen the cuckoo chased by lesser fowl, And reason in the chase: but wherefore now Do these your lords stir up the heat of war, Some calling Arthur born of Gorlois, Others of Anton? Tell me, ye yourselves, Hold ye this Arthur for King Uther’s son?’ And Ulfius and Brastias answered, ‘Ay.’”
- servant: Merlin “Is Merlin, the wise man that ever served King Uther through his magic art;”
The Coming of Arthur 2
- enemies with Gorlois “That Gorlois and King Uther went to war: And overthrown was Gorlois and slain.”
- child: Arthur (Arthur's parentage is disputed in the chapter; Uther's paternity is presented as one possibility.) “No king of ours! a son of Gorlois he, Or else the child of Anton, and no king, Or else baseborn.”
- friends with Anton “Sir Anton, an old knight And ancient friend of Uther;”
The Coming of Arthur 3
- servant: Bleys “And when I entered told me that himself And Merlin ever served about the King, Uther, before he died;”
- servant: Merlin “And when I entered told me that himself And Merlin ever served about the King, Uther, before he died;”
- child: Arthur “Stood one who pointed toward the voice, the rest Slew on and burnt, crying, ‘No king of ours, No son of Uther, and no king of ours;’ Till with a wink his dream was changed, the haze Descended, and the solid earth became As nothing, but the King stood out in heaven, Crowned. And Leodogran awoke, and sent Ulfius, and Brastias and Bedivere, Back to the court of Arthur answering yea.”
- sworn: Bleys “And when I entered told me that himself / And Merlin ever served about the King, / Uther, before he died;”
- sworn: Merlin “And when I entered told me that himself / And Merlin ever served about the King, / Uther, before he died;”
Gareth and Lynette 2
- child: Arthur “A boon, Sir King! Thy father, Uther, reft From my dead lord a field with violence:”
⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →
Extracted from the original text of Idylls of the King. Made with Rho MD.