Sir Mordred, The Knight Who Turned On King Arthur
Public DomainSir Mordred locked in battle with King Arthur.
From the beginning, Mordred was destined for a tragic, destructive fate. In some versions of the legend, he was both Arthur’s son and nephew, born from the king’s accidental incest with his half-sister, Morgause. He was, in many ways, the sins of Arthur’s past reborn to destroy the present.
King Arthur had been unaware of Morgause’s true identity during their encounter, but when he beget a child with her, he unwittingly fulfilled a prophecy that would bring about his downfall. Mordred was raised far away from Arthur’s court, though he knew his true parentage — and the destiny that lay before him. Over the years, this bred in him a deep resentment over his exile from his rightful place at court.
When he finally arrived at Camelot, he impressed the Knights of the Round Table with his exceptional ability, but the other men were skeptical of his intentions — for good reason. Mordred was frequently depicted as murderously violent, a rapist, and a traitor. One translation of The Post-Vulgate Cycle: The Quest for the Holy Grail and the Death of Arthur states that he “would have had a very handsome face if his demeanor had not been so wicked.”
During the civil war, Mordred incited a coup against King Arthur, taking the throne and deceiving the people of Logres into believing he was pure and well-intentioned. Kay was one of the few who opposed Mordred’s rule, and when Arthur’s army returned from battle, Mordred’s supporters were ready to ambush them.
Public DomainThe exact details varied, but most Arthurian legends ended with Arthur and Mordred slaying each other.
Although Arthur and his army survived, the fighting did not end. He and Mordred agreed to meet each other once again for a final battle.
When the two met on the battlefield, Arthur charged Mordred and ran him through with a spear. Mordred, with the last of his strength, further impaled himself to get within striking distance of the king — and struck him in the head with a decisive blow.
As Arthur was dragged away, he delivered one final address to Mordred:
“Mordred, in an evil hour did I beget you. You have ruined me and the kingdom of Logres, and you have died for it. Cursed be the hour in which you were born.”
After learning about the Knights of the Round Table, read about the real-life Knights Templar and what brought about their bloody downfall. Then, read about 11 terrifying mythical creatures from around the world.
