Mordred

Guide Note

Mordred is a character from notorious for betraying King Arthur and waging war against him. He is consistently portrayed as a villainous character responsible for initiating the Battle of Camlann which marked the end of Arthur's reign.

Fast Facts

  1. Also known as: Medrawt, Medraut, Modred
  2. First recorded appearance: Battle of Camlann 537 BC
  3. Mother: Morgause (sometimes Morgan le Fay)
  4. Father: King Arthur
  5. Originally considered a legitimate son of King Lot
  6. Guinevere's lover before Lancelot in early legends
  7. Brother of Gawain, Gaheris, Agravain and Gareth

First Literary Appearance

Mordred's name is first mentioned in an entry in the Annales Cambriae from 537 BC: The strife of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut fell. The text does not elaborate on the roles of either Arthur or Mordred, although popular stories have made them enemies.

Character Background

Most versions of Mordred's character have him loosely related to King Arthur, sometimes the son of Arthur's half-sister Morgan le Fay, but more often as the illegitimate child of his other half-sister, Morgause. Mordred is often also the result of an incestuous affair between Arthur and Morgause. Some versions have Arthur raping her out of lust, and others have them unaware of being related when Mordred is conceived.

The Mahalo Top 7

  1. Wikipedia: Mordred
  2. The Camelot Project: Mordred Profile, Images and Texts
  3. University of Idaho: Sir Mordred the Traitor
  4. Early British Kingdoms: Sir Mordred
  5. King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table: Mordred
  6. The Knighthood, Chivalry and Tournaments Resource Library: The Case of Sir Mordred  Jennifer Hudock: Fascinating study
  7. Timeless Myths: Mordred

Mordred in History and Legend

Mordred Literary Evolution

Early Literature

Contemporary Fiction

Mordred Images

Mordred Videos and Media

Mordred Books and Merchandise

Notable Mordred Films

 WARNING: Pop-upsNote: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.

Mordred in News and Culture

Related Searches

King Arthur | Guinevere | Merlin | Morgan le Fay | Arthurian Legend | Accolon | Elaine | Galahad | Gawain | Igraine | Lancelot | Merlin | Morgause | The Fisher King | The Green Knight | The Lady of the Lake | Percival | Sir Kay | Viviane | Uther Pendragon