Uther Pendragon

Uther Pendragon (pen -dragon or ben -dragon = " Supreme Leader; Supreme Warrior" ) is the father of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend, first mentioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae ( History of the Kings of Britain). In Geoffrey he impregnates Igraine, wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, as he appears to her as her husband by magic. The theme of illegitimate birth is repeated later in the procreation of Mordred by Arthur.

The legendary figure of Uther could partially based on the British- Roman warlord Ambrosius Aurelianus. Geoffrey called Uther's older brother and predecessor to the British throne Ambrose, along with a brother Constans, did the Vortigern to his puppet king, all three sons of a Great King Constantine. This legendary Great King could either be on the historic Roman emperor Constantine III. based, who ruled 407-411 and a son Constans († 411) had, or to King Constantine of Dumnonia, who lived in the 6th century ( but this would mean that Arthur's origin has nearby incest, as well as Igraine should come from the House of Dumnonia ). Geoffrey mixes in its history, however, fiction and reality.

Modern adaptations

A largely free adaptation of the subject can be found in Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon.

A key role has Uther Pendragon in the British television series Merlin - The New Adventures, represented by Anthony Stewart Head.

Valerio Massimo Manfredi The writer presents in his novel " The Last Legion" ( " L'ultima legione ", 2004, filmed 2007), the thesis of Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, when Uther Pendragon on.