Derfel Cadarn
Encyclopedia
Derfel Cadarn is a fictional character
and the main protagonist in The Warlord Chronicles
by Bernard Cornwell
. He is a straightforward and gifted warrior who is loyal and trustworthy. He is a highly fictionalized version of Saint Derfel Gadarn
of Wales.
warlord Aelle
, Derfel and his mother were captured in a raid by Britons and enslaved. Their British captors were later raided by the British King of Siluria, Gundleus, and his Druid, Tanaburs. Derfel was to be one of twelve sacrifices to the gods as a tribute from the victorious raiders. Derfel survived being thrown into the "Death Pit" and is henceforth considered by Merlin to be favoured by the gods. Having survived the failed sacrifice, he is also entitled to take the life of the Druid Tanaburs.
Derfel was then adopted by Merlin
into his community on the Tor at Ynys Wydryn (the isle of Avalon
, modern Glastonbury
) where he became friends with Nimue, otherwise known as Vivien, another child believed to be touched by the gods and Merlin's apprentice. He was present at Caer Cadarn for the birth of Mordred
, and was sent to Morgan
when Christian priests were unable to safely orchestrate the child's birth. He then traveled to the meeting at Glevum where the guardians of Mordred were selected. Following the death of Uther
the Tor was attacked by Gundleus, and Derfel was forced to escape with Nimue. While escaping he took the sword of his dead swordmaster Hywel and later named it "Hywelbane" after his dead master. On the way to Caer Cadarn, Derfel killed his first man when the convoy was attacked by sentries and Derfel goes to attack them. Derfel then meets Arthur for the first time in front of Caer Cadarn.
Derfel joined Modred's guardian Owain
's troops, and participated in an illegal raid on Kernow for which Owain is later killed in a duel against Arthur
. Derfel then joined Arthur's spearmen and after several years became one of Arthur's warlords and acquired the surname of Cadarn, which means "powerful". Derfel took his troops to Brittany
in place of Arthur in order to help fortify King Ban
at Ynys Trebes (Mont St. Michel) against the Franks
. Derfel met Lancelot
and Galahad
, and found Merlin in Ynys Trebes. When the city was taken and destroyed by the Franks, Galahad returned to Dumnonia
with Derfel and Merlin on Merlin’s boat.
Upon returning to Dumnonia, Derfel rescued Nimue from the Isle of the Dead (Portland Bill
), which is where the insane were exiled. After rescuing Nimue, he fought in the desperate battle at Lugg Vale against the combined armies of Powys and Siluria. After Arthur's army won the battle, Princess Ceinwyn of Powys, who had previously been betrothed to Arthur until his elopement with Guinevere, chooses Derfel and they become, in essence, husband and wife. Under an oath to Merlin he and a small contingent of his warriors aided Merlin in a successful quest for the most powerful of the thirteen mythical Treasures of Britain, a Cauldron (based on the Quest for the Holy Grail). Afterward, Derfel continued his warlord duties to Arthur, fighting in numerous battles against the Saxons in eastern England, and against Lancelot's rebellion. In the third book, Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur, Derfel plays a crucial role at the battle of Myndd Baddon. In this battle Derfel slays his father Aelle, following the prophecy "that a son will kill his father". His final action was at the Battle of Camlann
in which Arthur was taken away in an enchanted boat after being, apparently, mortally wounded. This was the epic battle between Arthur and Mordred, the latter one to be killed in this battle. At this point Derfel only had 40 of his warriors left.
In his old age, Derfel retires to a monastery in Powys where he befriends the queen of Powys, Igraine, wife of King Brochvael of Powys who also happens to be the grand nephew of Derfel's life partner, Ceinwyn. The queen asks him to write his story for her, and Derfel writing his memoirs forms the frame of the series. Sansum, the Christian bishop in charge of the monastery, was an enemy of Derfel's for many years who wanted Derfel to convert to Christianity. Sansum hates paganism and is particularly antagonistic towards the story of Arthur, so Derfel pretends that he is writing the Gospel in Saxon when he writes down the story of Arthur for Igraine. Derfel only converted to Christianity under duress - he had to sever his connection with Nimue and convert in order to save Ceinwyn from a deadly curse - and became bound to obey Sansum. As Derfel writes his story he begins to re-convert back to paganism, revealing that the he organised a pagan burial for Ceinwyn (who converted to Christianity with him) and through his writings requests that Igraine will also grant him a pagan burial. As the novels progress it becomes apparent that the Saxons are approaching Derfel's monastery. As an ex-warrior, Derfel is ordered by the bishop Sansum to defend the monastery. It is at this point that Sansum gives Derfel his old sword 'Hywelbane' back. Although it is not written, it is reasonable to surmise that Derfel dies a warriors death and "crosses the bridge of swords" to meet his family and his spearmen in the Otherworld. As Merlins says, "fate is inexorable."
. Like Derfel, Bedivere is one of Arthur's closest advisers and friends, is one-handed (in Welsh legends) and in many versions of the legends, casts Excalibur
into the sea after the Battle of Camlann
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and the main protagonist in The Warlord Chronicles
The Warlord Chronicles
The Warlord Chronicles is a trilogy of books about Arthurian Britain written by Bernard Cornwell...
by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
. He is a straightforward and gifted warrior who is loyal and trustworthy. He is a highly fictionalized version of Saint Derfel Gadarn
Saint Derfel
Derfel, known as Derfel Gadarn was a 6th century British Christian monk, regarded as a saint. Local legend holds that he was a warrior of King Arthur.-Family:...
of Wales.
Biography
Born of a Saxon woman named Erce and the AngleAngles
The Angles is a modern English term for a Germanic people who took their name from the ancestral cultural region of Angeln, a district located in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany...
warlord Aelle
Aelle of Sussex
Ælle is recorded in early sources as the first king of the South Saxons, reigning in what is now called Sussex, England, from 477 to perhaps as late as 514....
, Derfel and his mother were captured in a raid by Britons and enslaved. Their British captors were later raided by the British King of Siluria, Gundleus, and his Druid, Tanaburs. Derfel was to be one of twelve sacrifices to the gods as a tribute from the victorious raiders. Derfel survived being thrown into the "Death Pit" and is henceforth considered by Merlin to be favoured by the gods. Having survived the failed sacrifice, he is also entitled to take the life of the Druid Tanaburs.
Derfel was then adopted by Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
into his community on the Tor at Ynys Wydryn (the isle of Avalon
Avalon
Avalon is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 pseudohistorical account Historia Regum Britanniae as the place where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was forged and later where Arthur was...
, modern Glastonbury
Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...
) where he became friends with Nimue, otherwise known as Vivien, another child believed to be touched by the gods and Merlin's apprentice. He was present at Caer Cadarn for the birth of Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
, and was sent to Morgan
Morgan le Fay
Morgan le Fay , alternatively known as Morgane, Morgaine, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress in the Arthurian legend. Early works featuring Morgan do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a fay or magician...
when Christian priests were unable to safely orchestrate the child's birth. He then traveled to the meeting at Glevum where the guardians of Mordred were selected. Following the death of Uther
Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
the Tor was attacked by Gundleus, and Derfel was forced to escape with Nimue. While escaping he took the sword of his dead swordmaster Hywel and later named it "Hywelbane" after his dead master. On the way to Caer Cadarn, Derfel killed his first man when the convoy was attacked by sentries and Derfel goes to attack them. Derfel then meets Arthur for the first time in front of Caer Cadarn.
Derfel joined Modred's guardian Owain
Owain
Owain is a name of Welsh origin, and may refer to:* Owain mab Urien , son of Urien, king of Rheged c. 590 AD, and fought with his father against the Angles of Bernicia. He is remembered as Sir Ywain in Arthurian legend* Owain Gwynedd Owain is a name of Welsh origin, and may refer to:* Owain mab...
's troops, and participated in an illegal raid on Kernow for which Owain is later killed in a duel against Arthur
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...
. Derfel then joined Arthur's spearmen and after several years became one of Arthur's warlords and acquired the surname of Cadarn, which means "powerful". Derfel took his troops to Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in place of Arthur in order to help fortify King Ban
King Ban
In Arthurian legend, Ban is the King of Benwick or Benoic. He is the father of Sir Lancelot and Sir Hector de Maris, the brother of King Bors, and an early ally of King Arthur.Ban's wife Elaine is the sister to King Bors' wife Evaine...
at Ynys Trebes (Mont St. Michel) against the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
. Derfel met Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
and Galahad
Galahad
Sir Galahad |Round Table]] and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic, and is renowned for his gallantry and purity. Emerging quite late in the medieval Arthurian tradition, he is perhaps the knightly...
, and found Merlin in Ynys Trebes. When the city was taken and destroyed by the Franks, Galahad returned to Dumnonia
Dumnonia
Dumnonia is the Latinised name for the Brythonic kingdom in sub-Roman Britain between the late 4th and late 8th centuries, located in the farther parts of the south-west peninsula of Great Britain...
with Derfel and Merlin on Merlin’s boat.
Upon returning to Dumnonia, Derfel rescued Nimue from the Isle of the Dead (Portland Bill
Portland Bill
Portland Bill is a narrow promontory of Portland stone, which forms the most southerly part of Isle of Portland, and therefore also the county of Dorset, England....
), which is where the insane were exiled. After rescuing Nimue, he fought in the desperate battle at Lugg Vale against the combined armies of Powys and Siluria. After Arthur's army won the battle, Princess Ceinwyn of Powys, who had previously been betrothed to Arthur until his elopement with Guinevere, chooses Derfel and they become, in essence, husband and wife. Under an oath to Merlin he and a small contingent of his warriors aided Merlin in a successful quest for the most powerful of the thirteen mythical Treasures of Britain, a Cauldron (based on the Quest for the Holy Grail). Afterward, Derfel continued his warlord duties to Arthur, fighting in numerous battles against the Saxons in eastern England, and against Lancelot's rebellion. In the third book, Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur, Derfel plays a crucial role at the battle of Myndd Baddon. In this battle Derfel slays his father Aelle, following the prophecy "that a son will kill his father". His final action was at the Battle of Camlann
Battle of Camlann
The Battle of Camlann is best known as the final battle of King Arthur, where he either died in battle, or was fatally wounded fighting his enemy Mordred.-Historicity:...
in which Arthur was taken away in an enchanted boat after being, apparently, mortally wounded. This was the epic battle between Arthur and Mordred, the latter one to be killed in this battle. At this point Derfel only had 40 of his warriors left.
In his old age, Derfel retires to a monastery in Powys where he befriends the queen of Powys, Igraine, wife of King Brochvael of Powys who also happens to be the grand nephew of Derfel's life partner, Ceinwyn. The queen asks him to write his story for her, and Derfel writing his memoirs forms the frame of the series. Sansum, the Christian bishop in charge of the monastery, was an enemy of Derfel's for many years who wanted Derfel to convert to Christianity. Sansum hates paganism and is particularly antagonistic towards the story of Arthur, so Derfel pretends that he is writing the Gospel in Saxon when he writes down the story of Arthur for Igraine. Derfel only converted to Christianity under duress - he had to sever his connection with Nimue and convert in order to save Ceinwyn from a deadly curse - and became bound to obey Sansum. As Derfel writes his story he begins to re-convert back to paganism, revealing that the he organised a pagan burial for Ceinwyn (who converted to Christianity with him) and through his writings requests that Igraine will also grant him a pagan burial. As the novels progress it becomes apparent that the Saxons are approaching Derfel's monastery. As an ex-warrior, Derfel is ordered by the bishop Sansum to defend the monastery. It is at this point that Sansum gives Derfel his old sword 'Hywelbane' back. Although it is not written, it is reasonable to surmise that Derfel dies a warriors death and "crosses the bridge of swords" to meet his family and his spearmen in the Otherworld. As Merlins says, "fate is inexorable."
Relationships
Throughout the story Derfel is involved with numerous women, but three are featured most prominently. His youthful relationship with an Irish girl named Lunete rapidly becomes unhappy and they part company but remain civil in later meetings. Derfel has, during most of his youth, a burning love for Nimue that is mostly not returned, and in his old age he admits that he tried to preserve her memory as the young and wild girl he loved, not the harsh and miserable woman she became as result of her obsession with magic power, and of fulfilling Merlin's own ambition of restoring the old pagan religion. He later fell in love with Princess Ceinwyn of Powys, and eventually they lived as husband and wife, and she became the mother of all his children, although they never formally married.Trivia
Derfel bears a strong resemblance to Sir BedivereBedivere
In Arthurian legend, Sir Bedivere is the Knight of the Round Table who returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. He serves as King Arthur's marshal and is frequently associated with Sir Kay...
. Like Derfel, Bedivere is one of Arthur's closest advisers and friends, is one-handed (in Welsh legends) and in many versions of the legends, casts Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
into the sea after the Battle of Camlann
Battle of Camlann
The Battle of Camlann is best known as the final battle of King Arthur, where he either died in battle, or was fatally wounded fighting his enemy Mordred.-Historicity:...
.