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Igerna
Igerna, Igerne or Igrayne , wife of Gorloïs duke of Tintagel, in Cornwall. Igerna married Uther the pendragon of the Britons, and thus became the mother of prince Arthur. The second marriage took place a few hours after the duke’s death, but was not made public till thirteen days afterwards. Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur (1470).
"So the king observed the festival with great solemnity, as he had designed, and very joyfully entertained his nobility, of whom there was a very great muster, with their wives and daughters, suitably to the magnificence of the banquet prepared for them. And having been received with joy by the king, they also expressed the same in their deportment before him. Among the rest was present Gorlois, duke of Cornwall, with his wife Igerna, the greatest beauty in all Britain. No sooner had the king cast his eyes upon her among the rest of the ladies, than he fell passionately in love with her, and little regarding the rest, made her the subject of all his thoughts. She was the only lady that he continually served with fresh dishes, and to whom he sent golden cups by his confidants; on her he bestowed all his smiles, and to her addressed all his discourse. The husband, discovering this, fell into a great rage, and retired from the court without taking leave: nor was there any body that could stop him, while he was under fear of losing the chief object of his delight. Uther, therefore, in great wrath commanded him to return back to court, and make him satisfaction for this affront." History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth. Book VIII
"Uther Pendragon, King of Britain, held a festival in London, or, according to another account, at Winchester, at which were present Gorlois, King of Cornwall, and his wife Igerna, 'the greatest beauty in all Britain.' Uther was more attentive to the lady than was approved by her husband, who abruptly left the Court and returned to Cornwall, taking his wife with him. Uther followed. Gorlois deposited Igerna in Tintagel, 'upon the sea shore, which he looked upon as a place of great safety. But he himself entered the castle of Damelioc to prevent their both being involved in the same danger if any should happen." King Arthur In Cornwall By W. Howship Dickenson
"Tatlock (1950, p313) is convinced that Gorlois, Igerna, and Uther are all inventions of Geoffrey of Monmouth, although we now suspect that the name Gorlois may have some basis afterall. However, the story of Uther is fiction, and the name seems to be the result of a confusion with the father of a much later Arthur. This Arthur was Arthur Mabuter or Mab Pedr of Dyfed, who lived around 600." Arthur, Cerdic, and the Formation of Wessex by John C. Rudmin
Tennyson spells the name Ygerne, and makes Uther conquer and
slay Gorloïs, and then forcibly marry the widow.
"Sir, for ye know that in King Uther’s time
The prince and warrior Gorlois, he that held
Tintagil castle by the Cornish sea,
Was wedded with a winsome wife, Ygerne:
And daughters had she borne him,—one whereof,
Lot’s wife, the Queen of Orkney, Bellicent,
Hath ever like a loyal sister cleaved
To Arthur,—but a son she had not borne.
And Uther cast upon her eyes of love:
But she, a stainless wife to Gorlois,
So loathed the bright dishonour of his love,
That Gorlois and King Uther went to war:
And overthrown was Gorlois and slain."
Idylls of
the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The
Coming of Arthur
