MeleranzmArthurian Cycle Arthur’s nephew and hero of Der Pleier’s Meleranz. He was the son of Olimpia, Arthur’s sister, and King Linefles of France.... [more]
MeliadicefArthurian Cycle A descendant of Arthur and heroine of the romance Cleriadus et Meliadice, published in Paris in 1495. The author of the work is unknown, but it is believed to have been based on earlier French and English romances.... [more]
MelianusmArthurian Cycle A knight whose lands were protected from Nabor the Giant by the Good Knight Without Fear.... [more]
MeliasmArthurian Cycle, Literature Son of the King of Denmark, Melias entered the Grail Quest as squire to King Bagdemagus, but left him at the White Abbey and went with Galahad instead.
MelibeemArthurian Cycle, Literature Melibee is a shepherd in Book 6 of "The Faerie Queene" who rejected courtly life for farm life. He raised Pastorella after finding her as a baby. He is killed by the Brigands.
MelidorfArthurian Cycle The daughter of Earl Sere, a nobleman who went to war with Arthur’s Sir Degrevant.... [more]
MeliefArthurian Cycle Sister of Sir Meliant of Meliadel and whose sweetheart, Menelais, was slain by the evil Brian de la Gastine.... [more]
MeligormArthurian Cycle A knight in the service of Lord Golagros, Arthur’s opponent in the Middle Scots tale of Golagros and Gawain.
MelionmArthurian Cycle A British knight in a French lai, who possessed an enchanted ring. This ring enabled him to change into a werewolf and back again. His wife stole the ring when he was in lupine form, trapping him there until her treason was detected.... [more]
MelkinmArthurian Cycle John of Glastonbury mentions a vaticinator (one who foresees the future), who lived before Myrddin (Merlin) and uttered a prophecy about Glastonbury, couched in obscure Latin, which is difficult to interpret... [more]
MessoismArthurian Cycle The name of the Fisher King in Perlesvaus, probably a reference to the biblical Messiah.... [more]
MiraldomArthurian Cycle A British nobleman convinced by Satan to revolt against Arthur when Arthur was in France. Arthur quelled the rebellion and granted amnesty to Miraldo and his allies.
MonevalmArthurian Cycle A Knight of the Round Table who took a friendly rivalry between the Round Table and the Queen’s Knights too far.... [more]
MoraldemArthurian Cycle The lord of the Beautiful Forest. He was married to lady Angnie. His daughter, Claudin, was kidnapped by a count but saved by Arthur’s Sir Tandareis.
MordantmArthurian Cycle, Literature Mordant, whose name alludes to deadly sarcastic wit—the Latin root word mordēre means "to bite"—is a man who dies after a sojourn in the Bower of Bliss in Book 2 of "The Faerie Queene". He represents man's mortality.
MorgausefArthurian Cycle The name of a witch in Arthurian romance. Morgause, Queen of the Orkneys, is Arthur's half-sister with whom, in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation 'Le Morte d'Arthur', he engages in a brief affair, producing Mordred... [more]
MorghefArthurian Cycle A variant of Morgan le Fay used by Jean d’Outremeuse of Liege in Ly Myreur des histoires, written sometime prior to 1400.
MorvidmArthurian Cycle According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, a king of Britain in the third century BC. He was the son of King Danius and Tangustela, a concubine.
MunerafArthurian Cycle, Literature Munera is Pollente's daughter who keeps the spoils Pollente steals from travelers in Book 5, Canto 2 of "The Faerie Queene". Talus kills her.
MutabilityfArthurian Cycle, Literature Mutability, whose name means Change, is the Titan goddess who rules Earth. In the Two Cantos of Mutability she argues she should rule the heavens as well.
MychinmArthurian Cycle A knight in the service of Lord Golagros, Arthur’s opponent in the Middle Scots tale of Golagros and Gawain.
MylismArthurian Cycle A knight slain by King Pellinore at Pellinore’s forest pavilion.... [more]
NadienmArthurian Cycle An evil knight from Benoic (Benwick) who served King Claudas against Arthur.
NadormArthurian Cycle A knight defeated, with his cousin Daton, by Claris and Laris after he besieged Queen Blanche.
NadusmArthurian Cycle According to some sources, a King of Syria during the Arthurian period. One of the allies of Emperor Thereus of Rome. Nadus joined Thereus in a war against Arthur, and he was slain in battle against Claris and Laris.
NastormArthurian Cycle Son of Salandres and brother of Menastide, Dinisordres, Gogonne, and Aristes. Nastor, his father, and all of his brothers were defeated in combat by Perceval. They went to Arthur’s court as prisoners.
NatalonmArthurian Cycle, Literature King of Syria who served Emperor Filimenis of Constantinople. He joined Filimenis in a brief war against Arthur.
NathaliodusmArthurian Cycle A “king of the Britons” who, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, was slain in a battle against the Saxons Cerdic and Cynric in 508. The site of the battle, Netley, was named after him. He would have been a contemporary of Arthur.... [more]
NeroneusmArthurian Cycle A Knight of the Round Table knighted by Lancelot at the Red Castle. He guarded a bridge called the Bridge of Giants.... [more]
NinevefArthurian Cycle, Literature Malory’s first British Lady of the Lake, introduced and disposed of before Nimue’s appearance.
NinnianefArthurian Cycle The name of the Lady of the Lake in the Old French Vulgate Lancelot and the continuation to the Vulgate Merlin, known as the Suite du Merlin. (The earlier Vulgate Merlin uses the variant form Viviane.) 'She raised Lancelot and imprisoned Merlin... [more]
NiwalenfArthurian Cycle The goddess of the road or spirit of the journey. She is also known as Olwen, the name under which she appears as the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden.
NoctantemArthurian Cycle Noctante is a knight outside Malecasta's castle in Book 3, Canto 1 of "The Faerie Queene".
NynevefArthurian Cycle Form of Ninniane used by Thomas Malory for one of the Ladies of the Lake in his 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends 'Le Morte d'Arthur' (as she is called Ninniane in Malory's source, the continuation to the Vulgate 'Merlin', known as the 'Suite du Merlin')... [more]
OcursusmArthurian Cycle A Knight of the Round Table, related to Lancelot, who participated in the Grail Quest.
OgyrvenmArthurian Cycle According to some sources, Ogyrven was the father of Cerridwen, to whom he gave his cauldron. He was, perhaps, an early eponymous deity of the alphabet, called ogyrvens, as well as the patron of bards and language.
OrguelleusmArthurian Cycle Means "orgulous, proud", from Anglo-French orguillus, from orguil "pride". This was the name of several characters from Arthurian legends, including Orguelleus of the Heath (a.k.a. Orilus of Lalander), Orguelleus of the Narrow Passage (lover of Orguelleuse who was defeated by Sir Gawain), and Orguelleus the Fairy (enemy of Gawain, a knight who possessed magical powers).
OrguelleusefArthurian Cycle Feminine equivalent of Orguelleus. This was used by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach in Parzival, his expansion and completion of Chrétien de Troyes' unfinished romance Perceval, the Story of the Grail, for a hitherto unnamed character... [more]
OrguillusmArthurian Cycle A giant from Africa who, in Thomas’s Tristan, conquered dozens of kings and stole their beards. With the beards, he fashioned a robe, but had a single open space. He demanded King Arthur’s beard... [more]
OriancemArthurian Cycle One of the many Saxon kings who, in the early days of Arthur’s reign, invaded parts of northern Britain. Gaheris maimed him at the battle of Cambenic.
OriggemArthurian Cycle A knight in Arthur’s service, killed by the King of Libya during the Roman War.
OrilusmArthurian Cycle Jeschute’s husband, the Duke of Lalander in "Parzival" by Wolfram von Eschenbach.
OrimondefArthurian Cycle Daughter of the Emir of Persia, she was the wife of Marc, son of Ysaie the Sad and grandson of Tristan.
PaladinefArthurian Cycle Paladine is the female knight who tried to rescue the squire captured by Argante.
PaladoremArthurian Cycle A lover of Morgan le Fay slain by Arthur, causing a rift between Arthur and Morgan.
PalamedesmGreek Mythology, Arthurian Cycle Possibly derived from Greek πάλαι (palai) "long ago, in days of yore" and μῆδος (mêdos) "plans, schemes" (itself from the verb μηδομαι (medomai) "to think, to plan")... [more]
PalatynefArthurian Cycle The name of the sister of Melusine in the English translation of the story.
PamphillefArthurian Cycle A woman in the ancestry of the famous Brown lineage. She was the wife of Brun and the mother of Yrlande and Gialle.
PandrasmArthurian Cycle A Greek king who had enslaved a group of Trojan exiles. He was fought, and defeated, by Brutus, who then claimed the hand of Pandras’ s reluctant daughter, Ignoge... [more]
PandrasusmArthurian Cycle A Greek king who had enslaved a group of Trojan exiles. He was fought, and defeated, by Brutus, who then claimed the hand of Pandrasus’ reluctant daughter, Ignoge... [more]
ParidellmArthurian Cycle, Literature Paridell is a knight who appears in Books 3 and 4 of "The Faerie Queene". He briefly falls in love with Hellenore and has a superficial friendship with Blandamour.
PelléasmTheatre, Arthurian Cycle (Gallicized) French form of Pelleas used by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck for a character in his play Pelléas and Mélisande (1893), which was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).
PerantmArthurian Cycle A duke of Manaheim who was saved by Erec from a pack of robbers. His brothers, Joachim, Perant, and Malcheus, were also abducted and liberated. Erec sent them to Arthur’s court to relate the adventure.
PerissafArthurian Cycle A character in "The Faerie Queene" by Edmund Spenser who lived with her two sisters, Elissa and Medina. Her hedonism stood in contrast to the asceticism of Elissa and the temperance of Medina.
PhantastesmArthurian Cycle, Literature Phantastes or Fantasy is the youth in the upper floors of the House of Temperance. He represents imagination and the vision of things to come.
PyrochlesmLiterature, Arthurian Cycle From the Greek elements πῦρ (pyr) meaning "fire" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this is the name of a reckless knight who, together with his brother Cymochles, represents emotional maladies that threaten temperance... [more]
QrainglaiefArthurian Cycle Meaning unknown. She is an Irish queen that is featured in Chretien de Troyes' Les Merveilles de Rigomer.
QuiolasmArthurian Cycle A name appearing in Le Livre d’Artus, a work of Arthurian romance. He wass a Saxon king who, under King Hargadabran, fought Arthur’s forces at the battle of Clarence and was killed by Adragain.
RathleanfArthurian Cycle Of uncertain derivation. This name belonged to a character in the Irish Arthurian romance Céilidhe Iosgaide Léithe (The Visit of Iosgaid Liath or Visit of the Grey-Hammed Lady)... [more]
RepansefArthurian Cycle As a maiden, Repanse had charge of the Grail and carried it in the Grail Procession. After Perceval became the Grail King, Repanse fell in love with Feirefiz, Perceval’s pie-bald half brother, at Arthur’s court... [more]
RheusafArthurian Cycle Spenser famously includes Irish waterways in his list of guests at the fantastic marriage of the rivers Thames and Medway, in Book IV of The Faerie Queene, including the river nymph Rheusa.
RhunmWelsh, Medieval Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle Old Welsh name, possibly derived from Proto-Celtic *roino- meaning "hill, plain" (the source of Scottish Gaelic raon meaning "plain, field") or Proto-Celtic *rnf which meant "secret" and "magic" (the source of Middle Welsh rin which meant "mystery" and "charm" as well as Modern Welsh rhin meaning "secret")... [more]
RivalenmArthurian Cycle Medieval form of Rhiwallon used in the early German versions of the Tristan legend, where it belongs to Tristan's father, the king of Parmenie.
RoazmArthurian Cycle In Wirnt von Grafenberg's 'Wigalois', The pagan king of Glois, evil and villainous, who sold his soul to the Devil and was thus able to use sorcery to take over many lands, including the neighboring kingdom of Korntin... [more]
SabilormArthurian Cycle A knight who performed well in a tournament thrown by King Brandegorre of Estrangorre, and he were the second of the twelve knights who swore fealty to Brandegorre’s daughter.
SadalommArthurian Cycle A fashionable Knight of the Round Table slain during the Grail Quest.
SagrismArthurian Cycle In the Tristano Riccardiano and La Tavola Ritonda, a knight who, while visiting Mark’s court for healing, learned that Isolde had been abducted by Palamedes. He chased after them, but could not fight well because of his wounds, and was defeated.
SangliermArthurian Cycle Sanglier is an evil traveler who kills his own lady. Artegall punishes him by making him carry her head.
SapharinmArthurian Cycle A Saxon king who served King Aminaduc, invading northern Britain at the beginning of Arthur’s reign.
SaraidefArthurian Cycle One of the maidens of Viviane, the French Damsel of the Lake, Saraide seems to have held a high place in the Damsel’s service. her grasp of magic, while doubtless far short of Viviane’s, Nimue’s, or Morgan’s, was practical and useful.
SargiafArthurian Cycle A sorceress who gave her son Felice to Tristan the Younger as a squire.
SchoysianefArthurian Cycle She married Kyot of Katelangen and died giving birth to her daughter Sigune. Prior to this, she raised Condwiramurs (Kondviramur), the hereditary Queen of Brabant, who became Perceval’s wife.
SchuldafArthurian Cycle One of the three Fatal Sisters – the others were Urd and Verandi – who presided over the past, present, and future.... [more]
SebilefArthurian Cycle, Folklore Variant of Sybil. In Arthurian legend and Italian folklore, Sebile is a queen or princess often portrayed as a fairy or enchantress.
SebillefArthurian Cycle A mythical medieval queen or princess who is frequently portrayed as a fairy or an enchantress in the Arthurian legend and Italian folklore. She appears in a variety of roles, from the most faithful and noble lady to a wicked seductress, often in relation with or substituting for the character of Morgan le Fay... [more]
SeifefArthurian Cycle Arthur’s sister in Der Pleier’s Meleranz. She was the wife of King Lot and the mother of Gawain. Her sisters included Anthonje and Olimpia.... [more]
SeraidefArthurian Cycle One of the maidens of Viviane, the French Damsel of the Lake, Seraide seems to have held a high place in the Damsel’s service. her grasp of magic, while doubtless far short of Viviane’s, Nimue’s, or Morgan’s, was practical and useful.
SergismArthurian Cycle Sergis is the knight who informs Artegall of Irena's impending death in Book 5, Canto 11 of "The Faerie Queene".
SevirafArthurian Cycle, Literature The daughter of Maximus and wife of Vortigern, to whom she bore Britu, according to Germanus of Auxerre.
SiguranomArthurian Cycle A knight slain by Tristan at a tournament in Ireland. Sigurano’s brother, Oris the Harsh, tried to avenge him but was also slain.
SiguròrmArthurian Cycle Siguròr, earl of Spain was the brother of Hríngr and Isolde the Dark. He gave his sister to Tristan (Tristram) when the latter conquered Spain.
SodricmArthurian Cycle According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, he was the leader who brought the Picts to Britain. They were, however, soundly defeated by King Marius, but he still bestowed Caithness on them.
TanabosmArthurian Cycle, Literature A necromancer who lived in Britain some time between the time of Joseph of Arimathea and Uther Pendragon. He was hailed as the greatest magician ever to reside on the island, save Merlin.... [more]
TanréefArthurian Cycle, Literature Sister of the Little Knight, a friend of Gawain. She fell in love with Gawain and became his paramour.
TantalidesmArthurian Cycle, Literature A scribe from Vercelli, Italy, who served Arthur and recorded the deeds of the Knights of the Round Table.
TantalisfArthurian Cycle, Literature Empress of Greece and Constantinople, wife of Alexander, emperor of Constantinople. She was the mother of Alexander and Alis, and grandmother of Cligés.... [more]
TatainmArthurian Cycle Son of Pharien and brother of Anguin. He was raised by the Lady of the Lake and knighted by Sir Lionel.
TaubarinsmArthurian Cycle King of the Tartars who served Emperor Filimenis of Constantinople. He joined Filimenis in a brief war against Arthur.
TaullasmArthurian Cycle A knight who is said to be one of those who started in the first and second quests of Lancelot.
TaurianmArthurian Cycle, Literature Brother of Arthur’s Sir Dodinel the Wild. He was a friend of Perceval’s hermit uncle, Trevrizent. Perceval came across one of his lances, abandoned near Treverizent’s abode, and took it.
TeirnonmArthurian Cycle, Welsh Mythology Likely a variant of Teyrnon. This name appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen belonging to Teirnon Twrfliant, an Arthurian warrior who ruled Gwent Ys Coed... [more]
TelerifWelsh, Arthurian Cycle Contraction of Welsh ty meaning "thy, your" and Eleri. This name is mentioned in Culhwch and Olwen as one of the maidens of King Arthur's court.
TerwinmArthurian Cycle Terwin is a man who succumbs to Despair in Book 1 of "The Faerie Queene".
ThailaismArthurian Cycle Uther Pendragon’s grandfather (and Arthur’s great-grandfather), as given by Prose Lancelot. He ruled the city of Clarence near South Wales, and “Clarence” was thus Arthur’s battle cry.
TholomesmArthurian Cycle One of the knights whom the false Guenevere (Genievre) entrusts with the task of capturing Arthur and his followers in the wood, where he imagines he is following a boar.
ThumasmArthurian Cycle One of the four wise clerks Arthur charges to chronicle the deeds of his knights.
TidogolainmArthurian Cycle A dwarf who served Helie, the lady-in-waiting of Queen Esmeree the Blonde of Wales.... [more]
TitilusmArthurian Cycle A Roman knight and nephew of Lucius the Roman in the Vulgate Merlin. Prior to the Roman War, Arthur sent an envoy to Lucius to discuss possible peace terms. Titilus, who was present, laughed at the Britons’ empty threats... [more]
TiturelmArthurian Cycle The name of the Grail King in Wolfram von Eschenbach's 'Parzival'. Also the title of another work by Wolfram von Eschenbach (preserved only fragmentary).
TorecmArthurian Cycle (Dutchified) Meaning uncertain. This is the name of the hero in a 13th-century Dutch romance by Jacob van Maerlant; for the love of a maiden, Sir Torec defeats all the Knights of the Round Table except Arthur.
TortainmArthurian Cycle, Literature In the First Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval, a half-man, half-boar who was the product of a union between the sorcerer Eliavres and a sow. King Caradoc of Nantes had discovered that Eliavres was having an affair with Caradoc’s wife, and he forced Eliavres to copulate with the pig as punishment.... [more]
TraconmArthurian Cycle, Literature An earl who was the father of Elena, the brother of King Odus, and the uncle of Enide, Erec’s wife.
TraelusmArthurian Cycle A Knight of the Round Table defeated in a tournament against the Queen’s Knights.
TydomiefArthurian Cycle, Literature The Queen of Karmerie (Kamerie) who married Meleranz, Arthur’s nephew. The two met and fell in love when Meleranz was on his way to Arthur’s court. When he had been knighted, she sent him tokens of a belt, a wreath and a clasp.... [more]
TydoriansmArthurian Cycle A knight who fought on the side of the King with a Hundred Knights during King Mark’s tournament at Lancien.
UlfinmArthurian Cycle An ancient British name which means "little wolf". Most well known in the Arthurian legends of Geoffrey Monmouth, where Sir Ulfin plays a role in Merlin's plot for King Arthur to be born.
VargonmArthurian Cycle A heathen duke who, under King Oriel, fought Kings Urien and Angusel at the battle of Coranges.
VaruchmArthurian Cycle A Syrian knight present at the tournament of Sorgarda, which Gawain won.
VasparianomArthurian Cycle Son of the famous knight named Guiron the Courteous. Vaspariano guarded the castle of Crudele, at which he was slain in combat by Sir Lamorat, who had to assume his post.
VerandifArthurian Cycle In Norse mythology, one of the three Fatal Sisters – the others were Urd and Schulda – who presided over the past, present, and future.... [more]
VerdoanafArthurian Cycle The lady of the castle Aspetta Ventura in La Tavola Ritonda. She suffered from leprosy and could only be cured by the blood of a royal virgin. In the quest to heal her, her knights bled hundreds of virgins, most of whom perished... [more]
VerrinefArthurian Cycle A high-born damsel, of Guenevere’s court was mute until the arrival of Sir Percival, when at last she spoke. Greeting him, she led him to his seat at the left of the Siege Perilous and predicted his future greatness... [more]
VortimermArthurian Cycle In Nennius’s Historia Brittonum, Vortigern’s eldest son, brother of Catigern, Faustas, and Pascentius.... [more]
VulganusmArthurian Cycle A hideous half-man, half-horse sea demon that terrorized the land of Averre. He carried a Gorgon’s head that turned people to stone.... [more]
WaldinmArthurian Cycle A strong knight who assisted his cousin or uncle, King Angusel of Scotland, in repelling an invasion of Saxons.... [more]
WaldomermArthurian Cycle The brother-in-law of the Emperor of the Alemanni. He served as a commander for King Meriadoc of Wales when Meriadoc served the Emperor.
WillerismArthurian Cycle An enchanted parrot from Rigomer castle, owned by Queen Dionise. Dionise sent the bird to help Gawain find his way to the castle, which he was destined to conquer.
WinlogeefArthurian Cycle On the Modena Archivolt, the name of a lady apparently held in a tower by a lord named Mardoc and his knight, Caradoc. Arthur and his knights, including Yder and Gawain, are embroiled in an attempt to rescue her.... [more]
YblisfArthurian Cycle In an Arthurian legend in Ulrich von Zatzikhoven's late 12th-century German poem Lanzelet, the loving fairy mistress of Prince Lancelot is named Yblis an anagram for Sibil/Sybil.
YdermArthurian Cycle, French, Anglo-Norman French form of Edern. Used in some Arthurian romances, in both Old French and Anglo-Norman. This is also the common name of the character in modern French.
YgraynefArthurian Cycle Variant of Igraine used in 'Le Morte d'Arthur', a 15th-century Middle English prose reworking by Sir Thomas Malory of tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table—along with their respective folklore.
YsberinmArthurian Cycle A warrior in the service of King Arthur who was the son of King Fflergant of Armorica. He is thought by many scholars to be equal to Duke Alan Fyrgan (1084-1112)... [more]
YsmainefArthurian Cycle Origin unknown, probably unrelated to Ismay. It was used in a 13th-century continuation of Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail, where it belongs to Perceval's cousin who marries the knight Faradien... [more]
ZaradechmArthurian Cycle An Asian lord in "Wigalois" by Wirnt von Grafenberg, early 13th century. His sister Japhite died from heartbreak when Wigalois, Gawaine’s son, killed King Roaz of Glois, Japhite’s husband. Zaradech and Panschavar came to Glois to retrieve Japhite’s body... [more]
ZyrolanmArthurian Cycle A king once defeated in combat by Perceval in "Parzival" by Wolfram von Eschenbach, 1200–1210.