Lunete
Encyclopedia
Lunete, in Arthurian
legend, was the handmaiden
and advisor to the Lady of the Fountain (Laudine
). She is described in Chrétien de Troyes
' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion
as being "a charming brunette, prudent, clever and polite..." . It is she who is responsible for convincing Laudine to accept Ywain
in marriage.
When Esclados
the Red (Laudine's first husband) is mortally wounded and killed by Ywain, he finds himself trapped in Laudine's castle (Castle of Landuc near Brocéliande
). Lunete offers him shelter and agrees to aid him in escaping the villagers who want to avenge their lord's death. During his escape from the castle, Ywain sees Esclados' widow and falls in love with her. Ywain, with Lunete's help, wins Laudine's hand and marries her. Lunete grows to become a close friend and confidant to the Lady of the Fountain. Ywain and the Lady of the Fountain are married for many years; but one day, Gawain
arrives and reminds Ywain of his absence from his chivalric duties and from King Arthur's court. The Lady of the Fountain agrees to let him go — only if he promises to return after one year. Ywain breaks his promise and delays his return; the Lady asks her husband to leave her and never return. As a result of the separation, Lunete loses favour with her Lady, since Lunete was the one who advised Laudine to marry Ywain.
Meanwhile in court, the seneschal
envies Lunete of her rising status and becoming Laudine's favourite advisor. He accuses her of treason
and she is sentenced to be burnt at the stake
. Ywain duels with the seneschal and his brothers and defeats them in combat; Lunete is then let free. Lunete later helps Ywain to win his wife's love back, by tricking the spouses into reconciliation.
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
legend, was the handmaiden
Handmaiden
A handmaiden is a female attendant, assistant, domestic worker , or slave.-Religion:Norse goddesses had handmaidens, . The biblical Mary referred to herself as "the handmaid of the Lord" in acceptance of becoming pregnant by the Holy Ghost.A man might use a handmaiden as a concubine to bear his...
and advisor to the Lady of the Fountain (Laudine
Laudine
Laudine, also known as the Lady of the Fountain, is a character from Arthurian legend who appears in Chrétien de Troyes' poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion and all works based on it, such as the Welsh tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain and the German Iwein by Hartmann von Aue...
). She is described in Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion
Yvain, the Knight with the Lion is a romance by Chrétien de Troyes. It was probably written in the 1170s simultaneously with Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, and includes several references to the action in that poem...
as being "a charming brunette, prudent, clever and polite..." . It is she who is responsible for convincing Laudine to accept Ywain
Ywain
Sir Ywain is a Knight of the Round Table and the son of King Urien in Arthurian legend...
in marriage.
When Esclados
Esclados
In Arthurian Legend, Esclados was a knight who defended a magical fountain in the forest of Brocéliande. Esclados was subsequently slain by Ywain who then married his widow, Laudine. In Chretien's The Knight with the Lion, Esclados is referred to as "Esclados the Red"....
the Red (Laudine's first husband) is mortally wounded and killed by Ywain, he finds himself trapped in Laudine's castle (Castle of Landuc near Brocéliande
Brocéliande
Brocéliande is the name of a legendary forest that first appears in literature in 1160, in the Roman de Rou, a verse chronicle written by Wace....
). Lunete offers him shelter and agrees to aid him in escaping the villagers who want to avenge their lord's death. During his escape from the castle, Ywain sees Esclados' widow and falls in love with her. Ywain, with Lunete's help, wins Laudine's hand and marries her. Lunete grows to become a close friend and confidant to the Lady of the Fountain. Ywain and the Lady of the Fountain are married for many years; but one day, Gawain
Gawain
Gawain is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table who appears very early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is one of a select number of Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
arrives and reminds Ywain of his absence from his chivalric duties and from King Arthur's court. The Lady of the Fountain agrees to let him go — only if he promises to return after one year. Ywain breaks his promise and delays his return; the Lady asks her husband to leave her and never return. As a result of the separation, Lunete loses favour with her Lady, since Lunete was the one who advised Laudine to marry Ywain.
Meanwhile in court, the seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
envies Lunete of her rising status and becoming Laudine's favourite advisor. He accuses her of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and she is sentenced to be burnt at the stake
Execution by burning
Death by burning is death brought about by combustion. As a form of capital punishment, burning has a long history as a method in crimes such as treason, heresy, and witchcraft....
. Ywain duels with the seneschal and his brothers and defeats them in combat; Lunete is then let free. Lunete later helps Ywain to win his wife's love back, by tricking the spouses into reconciliation.